Friday of the Fourth week of Easter

Acts of the Apostles

When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue: "My brothers, children of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him, and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets that are read sabbath after sabbath.
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These are (now) his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you that what God promised our ancestors
he has brought to fulfillment for us, (their) children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, 'You are my son; this day I have begotten you.'"

Psalms

"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you."
"Ask of me and I will give you the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.
Where (I) am going you know the way."
Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

St. Raphael Arnáiz Barón(monk (1911-1938))

SAINT RAPHAEL ARNÁIZ BARÓN Monk (1911-1938) Raphael Arnáiz Barón was born in Burgos, Spain, on April 9, 1911, to a prominent and deeply-Christian family. He was baptized and confirmed in Burgos and began his schooling at the ciry's Jesuit college. In 1919, he first received Holy Communion. It was at this time that he had his first experience of illness. Persistent fevers due to colibacillosis forced him to postpone his studies. To mark his recovery, which he attributed to a special intervention of the Virgin Mary, his father took him to Zaragoza and consecrated him to the Virgin of Pilar. This experience, which took place in the late summer of 1921, profoundly affected Raphael. When the family moved to Oviedo, he continued his secondary schooling with the Jesuits and obtained a diploma in science. He afterward enrolled in the School of Architecture in Madrid, where he succeeded in balancing his studies with a life of fervent piety. He possessed a brilliant and eclectic mind, and stood out because of his deep sense of friendship and fine features. Blessed with a happy and jovial nature, he was also athletic, had a gift for drawing and painting as well a love for music and the theatre. As he matured, his spiritual experience of the Christian life deepened. Although the study of architecture required a great deal of hard work and discipline, he began making a long daily visit to the Blessed Sacrament in the Chapel of Caballero de Gracia. He even joined the Nocturnal Adoration Association and faithfully took his turn before the Blessed Sacrament.In this way, he became well disposed to listening, and he perceived an invitation from God to lead the contemplative life. Raphael had already been in contact with the Trappist monastery of San Isidro de Dueñas, and he felt strongly drawn to it. In December of 1933, he suddenly broke off his professional studies; and on January 16, 1934, he entered the monastery of San Isidro. After the first months of the noviciate and his first Lent, which he lived with great enthusiasm, embracing all the austerities of Trappist life, God mysteriously chose to test him with a sudden and painfulinfirmity: a serious form of diabetes mellitus that forced him to leave the monastery immediately and return to his family in order to receive the proper care. Barely recovered, he returned to the monastery, but his illness forced him to leave for treatment again and again. Whenever he was absent, he wanted to return - responding faithfully and generously to what he understood to be a call from God. Sanctified by his joyful and heroic fidelity to his vocation, in his loving acceptance of the Divine will and the mystery of the Cross, in his tender and filial devotion to the Virgin Mary - "the Lady," as he liked to call her - his life came to an end on April 26, 1938. He was barely 27 years old. He was buried in the monastery cemetery, and later in the Abbey church. The fame of Raphael's sanctity rapidly spread beyond the walls of the monastery. The example of his life together with his many spiritual writings continue to spread and greatly profit those who get to know him. He has been described as one of the great mystics of the twentieth century. On August 19, 1989, Pope John Paul II, on World Youth Day in Santiago de Compostella, proposed Raphael Arnáiz Barón as a model for young people, and beatified him on September 27, 1992.St. Raphael was canonized on October 11, 2009, by Pope Benedict XVI. The pope presented him as a friend and intercessor for all the faithful, especially the youth.

St. Cletus(Pope and Martyr (+ c. 88))

SAINT CLETUS Pope and Martyr (+ c. 88) St. Cletus, the third bishop of Rome, was consecrated after St. Linus was martyred. He was among the first disciples of St. Peter; and circumstances hint at his eminent virtue. He presided for twelve years, from 76 to 88. The canon of the Roman Mass, Bede and other martyrologists style him a martyr. He was buried near St. Linus in the Vatican; and his relics still remain in that church.

St. Marcellinus(Pope and Martyr (+ 304))

SAINT MARCELLINUS Pope and Martyr (+ 304) St. Marcellinus succeeded St. Coins in the bishopric of Rome in 296, around the time that Diocletian set himself up as a deity and impiously claimed divine honors. In those stormy times of persecution, Marcellinus served and nourished the Church. Pope Marcellinus knew that confessing his love would mean his end. Like Jesus, he took up his cross with love and laid down his life. According to Christian tradition, we can conclude that Pope Marcellinus asked St. Joseph for intercession and manliness; while consecrating himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pope Marcellinus sat in St. Peter's chair for eight years, three months and twenty-five days. He was martyred in 304 - a year after the persecution began.

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