First reading: Acts 15:22-31

The apostles and elders decided to choose delegates to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; the whole church concurred with this. They chose Judas known as Barsabbas and Silas, both leading men in the brotherhood, and gave them this letter to take with them:

‘The apostles and elders, your brothers, send greetings to the brothers of pagan birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. We hear that some of our members have disturbed you with their demands and have unsettled your minds. They acted without any authority from us; and so we have decided unanimously to elect delegates and to send them to you with Barnabas and Paul, men we highly respect who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly we are sending you Judas and Silas, who will confirm by word of mouth what we have written in this letter. It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to saddle you with any burden beyond these essentials: you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols; from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from fornication. Avoid these, and you will do what is right. Farewell.’

The party left and went down to Antioch, where they summoned the whole community and delivered the letter. The community read it and were delighted with the encouragement it gave them.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 56(57):8-12

I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples.

My heart is ready, O God,
  my heart is ready.
  I will sing, I will sing your praise.
Awake, my soul, 
  awake, lyre and harp,  
  I will awake the dawn.

I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples.

I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples, 
  among the nations I will praise you
for your love reaches to the heavens, 
  and your truth to the skies.
O God, arise above the heavens; 
  may your glory shine on earth!

I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, 
says the Lord, 
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!