Sunday, 17 May 2026
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Readings for the universal ChurchGeneral Roman Calendar, used by Catholics worldwide
First Reading
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount that is called Olivet, which is nigh Jerusalem, within a sabbath day's journey. 13And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Jude the brother of James. 14All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Responsorial Psalm
1The psalm of David before he was anointed. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?
4One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. That I may see the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple.
7Hear, O Lord, my voice, with which I have cried to thee: have mercy on me and hear me.
8My heart hath said to thee: My face hath sought thee: thy face, O Lord, will I still seek.
Second Reading
13But if you partake of the sufferings of Christ, rejoice that when his glory shall be revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14If you be reproached for the name of Christ, you shall be blessed: for that which is of the honour, glory, and power of God, and that which is his Spirit, resteth upon you. 15But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a railer, or a coveter of other men's things. 16But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
Gospel
1These things Jesus spoke, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said: Father, the hour is come, glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee. 2As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he may give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. 3Now this is eternal life: That they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5And now glorify thou me, O Father, with thyself, with the glory which I had, before the world was, with thee. 6I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou hast given me out of the world. Thine they were, and to me thou gavest them; and they have kept thy word. 7Now they have known, that all things which thou hast given me, are from thee: 8Because the words which thou gavest me, I have given to them; and they have received them, and have known in very deed that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. 9I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them whom thou hast given me: because they are thine: 10And all my things are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. 11And now I am not in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou has given me; that they may be one, as we also are.
Why two sets of readings today? In most of the United States, including all of Florida, the Ascension is celebrated today rather than on Thursday, so that more people can share in it at Sunday Mass. Where the Ascension was kept on Thursday, today is the Seventh Sunday of Easter.
In the United StatesCelebrated today in Florida and most U.S. dioceses
The Ascension of the Lord
First Reading
1The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach, 2Until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up. 3To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God. 4And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith he) by my mouth. 5For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence. 6They therefore who were come together, asked him, saying: Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7But he said to them: It is not for you to know the times or moments, which the Father hath put in his own power: 8But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth. 9And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10And while they were beholding him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments. 11Who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, as you have seen him going into heaven.
Responsorial Psalm
2O clap your hands, all ye nations: shout unto God with the voice of Joy,
3For the Lord is high, terrible: a great king over all the earth.
6God is ascended with jubilee, and the Lord with the sound of trumpet.
7Sing praises to our God, sing ye: sing praises to our king, sing ye.
8For God is the king of all the earth: sing ye wisely.
9God shall reign over the nations: God sitteth on his holy throne.
Second Reading
17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation, in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what the hope is of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us, who believe according to the operation of the might of his power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, raising him up from the dead, and setting him on his right hand in the heavenly places. 21Above all principality, and power, and virtue, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. 22And he hath subjected all things under his feet, and hath made him head over all the church, 23Which is his body, and the fulness of him who is filled all in all.
Gospel
16And the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And seeing them they adored: but some doubted. 18And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. 19Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.
Text: Douay-Rheims (public domain). Reading citations: cpbjr/catholic-readings-api (MIT license). The Lectionary text used at Mass in the United States is the NABRE, which you can read at USCCB.