Reading 1

Acts 13:14, 43-52

Paul and Barnabas continued on from Perga
and reached Antioch in Pisidia.
On the sabbath they entered the synagogue and took their seats.
Many Jews and worshipers who were converts to Judaism
followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them
and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God.
 
On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered
to hear the word of the Lord.
When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy
and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.
Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,
“It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first,
but since you reject it
and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life,
we now turn to the Gentiles.
For so the Lord has commanded us,
I have made you a light to the Gentiles,
that you may be an instrument of salvation
to the ends of the earth.”
 
The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this
and glorified the word of the Lord.
All who were destined for eternal life came to believe,
and the word of the Lord continued to spread
through the whole region.
The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers
and the leading men of the city,
stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas,
and expelled them from their territory.
So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them,
and went to Iconium.
The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

R. (3c) We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R.  We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or:
R.  Alleluia.
The LORD is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R.  We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or:
R. Alleluia.

I, John, had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
 
Then one of the elders said to me,
“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
 
“For this reason they stand before God’s throne
and worship him day and night in his temple.
The one who sits on the throne will shelter them.
They will not hunger or thirst anymore,
nor will the sun or any heat strike them.
For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne
will shepherd them
and lead them to springs of life-giving water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.”

Catholic Fundamentalism Interpretation:

(After Paul had become a believer), he and Barnabas went from Perga to Antioch.  On the Sabbath, they went into the synagogue and sat down.  Many Jews and others who'd converted to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who encouraged them to remain obedient.

On the next Sabbath, a large majority of the citizens came to hear about The New Program.  Those who were not given the grace to enter that program were jealous and resentful.  They violently disagreed with everything Paul said.  He and Barnabas told them, "We had to speak the Word of God to you, first.  But, since you refuse to download it, you have made yourselves unworthy of living forever (in the joy of The Programmer?).

Since you reject it, we now turn to the Gentiles, because that's what The Loving Programmer has told us to do, saying, "I have made you a re-programmer of the Gentiles so that you may align souls with The Program everywhere on earth."

The Gentiles were glad to know that they could know eternal joy, and praised The Loving Programmer for having opened eternity to them.  All those who were destined to be saved became believers, and news about The New Download went on spreading throughout the area.

The Jews didn't like any of it.  They got a lot of rich and influential women among them, and some community leaders to get behind a persecution of Paul and Barnabas.  They drove them out of the area.  The two shook the dust from their feet to show their protest, and went to Iconium.

The Disciples were filled with joy and with The Holy Wireless Connector.

We have downloaded His Program, we are His faithful followers.

Praise The Programmer with joy, you who have the faith to come before Him.

We have downloaded His Program, we are His faithful followers.

Know That The Loving Programmer is The Creator.  He programmed us, we are His;  we are His people, and He takes care of us because we are His.

We have downloaded His Program, we are His faithful followers.

The Loving Programmer is good, and will always be kind (to us), and will take care of His sheep forever.

We have downloaded His Program, we are His faithful followers.

John was able to access a future part of The Program, when all souls had been judged and those who were saved stood before The Loving Programmer.  They were from every nation, race, people, and language.  They stood before The Throne and The Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches (as they had when He entered Jerusalem).

One of the elders told him, "These people remained faithful despite dungeon, fire, sword, and all punishments of their oppressors.  They have erased their sins, washing them away in the Blood of the Lamb.

Jesus Christ (The Program in perfect, living, obedient, human form) said, "Those who are Mine hear Me (My Voice, calling and speaking and writing).  I know them, and they obey Me.  (So) I give them eternal life, and their programs will never be erased.  No power is great enough to take them from Me.  My Father has given them to Me, and He is greater than all, and no one can take them from His hand.  God The Father, The Loving Programmer of all, and I, The Living Program Who took human form and died for those who would be saved, are One."