April 19, 2004, Friday of the third week of Easter.

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,

went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,

that if he should find any men or women who belonged to the way, he might bring them back

to Jerusalem in chains.

On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.

He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

He said, who are you, sir?

The reply came,

I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

Now get up and go into the city,

and you will be told what you must do.

The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,

for they heard the voice, but could see no one.

Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, could see nothing.

So they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.

For three days he was unable to see, and he neither

ate nor drank. There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision,

Ananias, he answered, Here I am, Lord. The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias, he answered, here I am, Lord. The Lord said to him,

Get up and go to the street called Strait, and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus

...