Church Festivals in May
Click for Lessons , Daily Lectionary

May 1: St Philip & St James, Apostles

Philip was one of the first disciples of Jesus, who after following Jesus invited Nathaniel to “come and see.” According to tradition, he preached in Asia Minor and died as a martyr in Phrygia. James, the son of Alphaeus, is called “the less” to distinguish him from another apostle named James, commemorated on July 25. Philip and James are commemorated together because the remains of these two saints were placed in the Church of the Apostles in Rome on this day in 561.

May 31: The Visitation

From the Annunciation (March 25) to Christmas we have the lesser festivals of the Visitation and the Nativity of St John the Baptist (June 24). Both festivals revolve around the pregnancies of Mary and Elizabeth. The Visitation marks the occasion of Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth. After Elizabeth calls her “blessed among women,” Mary sings the famous song called the Magnificat.

  Lessons for May

Seventh Sunday of Easter May 4, 2008
Acts 1:6-14
Psalm 68:1-10, 32-25
1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11
John 17:1-11

Day of Pentecost May 11, 2008
Acts 2:1-21 or Numbers 11:24-30
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 or Acts 2:1-21
John 20:19-23 or John 7:37-39

The Holy Trinity First Sunday after Pentecost May 18, 2008
Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Psalm 8
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Matthew 28:16-20

Second Sunday after Pentecost May 25, 2008
Isaiah 49:8-16a
Psalm 131
1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Matthew 6:24-34

Third Sunday after Pentecost June 1, 2008
Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28
Psalm 31:1-5, 19-24
Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 [29-31]
Matthew 7:21-29

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost June 8, 2008
Hosea 5:15-6:6
Psalm 50:7-15
Romans 4:13-25
Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26