May 21st, 2006, Thursday of the 7th week of Easter.

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

Wishing to determine the truth about why Paul was being accused by the Jews,

the commander freed him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedron to convene. Then he brought Paul down

and made him stand before them. Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so he

called out before the Sanhedron, My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees.

I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.

When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group

became divided.

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits,

while the Pharisees acknowledge all three.

A great uproar occurred, and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party stood up and sharply argued,

we find nothing wrong with this man.

Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him.

The dispute was so serious that the commander,

afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them,

ordered his troops to go down and rescue Paul from their midst and take him into the compound.

The following night, the Lord stood by him and said,

Take courage, for just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear

witness in Rome. The Word of the Lord. The Responsorial Psalm. The response is, keep me safe,

O God. You are my hope. Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord,

my Lord are you. O Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot.

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