Peace I leave With You; My Peace I Give To You

APRIL 30, 2024 - TUESDAY
Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter (White)
Lectionary: 286
Optional Memorial of Saint Pius V, Pope, Religious (White)
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Acts 14:19-28

In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium
arrived and won over the crowds.
They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,
supposing that he was dead.
But when the disciples gathered around him,
he got up and entered the city.
On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
After they had proclaimed the good news to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the Kingdom of God."
They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the Church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Then they spent no little time with the disciples.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 21

R.(see 12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.

May my mouth speak the praise of the LORD,
and may all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia
See Lk 24:46, 26

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead,
and so enter into his glory.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 14:27-31a.

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
'I am going away and I will come back to you.'
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Where in my life do I need the peace of Jesus at the moment? Perhaps it’s in a relationship, or in my work, or just in my own heart, peace with myself. Can I talk honestly now to Jesus about my need for peace, asking him to let his peace touch me where I most need it?

PRAYER: 

Lord, I need your gift of peace! So often I find myself unsure, anxious, worried, angry. Talk to me about how you coped when things were out of control in your life, especially at the end. What kept you going? You seem to have had such a deep sense that your Father was with you, and that he was asking you to reveal the limitless scope of divine love for the world.

The Paraclete

APRIL 29, 2024 - MONDAY
Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church (White)
Lectionary: 285
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Acts 14:5-18

There was an attempt in Iconium
by both the Gentiles and the Jews,
together with their leaders,
to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.
They realized it,
and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe
and to the surrounding countryside,
where they continued to proclaim the Good News.
At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,
who had never walked.
He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,
saw that he had the faith to be healed,
and called out in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet."
He jumped up and began to walk about.
When the crowds saw what Paul had done,
they cried out in Lycaonian,
"The gods have come down to us in human form."
They called Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes,"
because he was the chief speaker.
And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city,
brought oxen and garlands to the gates,
for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice.
The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments
when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,
"Men, why are you doing this?
We are of the same nature as you, human beings.
We proclaim to you good news
that you should turn from these idols to the living God,
who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.
In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways;
yet, in bestowing his goodness,
he did not leave himself without witness,
for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,
and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts."
Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds
from offering sacrifice to them.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16

R. (1ab) Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your mercy, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
"Where is their God?"

R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.

R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.

May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Heaven is the heaven of the LORD,
but the earth he has given to the children of men.

R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 14:26

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything
and remind you of all I told you.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 14:21-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him."
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
"Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.
"I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name --
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Loving God and doing what God wants are essentially linked. ‘Love is proved in deeds not words' was the ending Saint Ignatius gave to people after a thirty-day retreat. We love the Lord by keeping God's word, by doing what that word indicates to us. In doing the will of God we grow at the same time in our relationship with God and our knowledge of God. In times of prayer we can recall our working for God in the past and consider our working with God in the future.

I am the focus of a great love. The Spirit of divine love comes to abide in me. Does the Spirit find a warm welcome in me or do I ignore my guest? Am I a good pupil who wants to learn? What is the Spirit teaching me right now in this period of prayer?

PRAYER:

Lord, I often feel my life is shapeless and going nowhere. Thank you for the gift of the great Spirit of God, who is by my side, defending me, consoling me and teaching me the ways of love. ‘Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in me the fire of your love.’ 

Jesus, The True Vine (5TH SUNDAY EASTER - B)

APRIL 28, 2024 - SUNDAY
Fifth Sunday of Easter (White)
Lectionary: 53
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Acts 9:26-31

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples,
but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,
and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,
and that he had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,
and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.
He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,
but they tried to kill him.
And when the brothers learned of this,
they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him on his way to Tarsus.
The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.
It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32

R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts live forever!"

R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.

All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.

R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.

To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.

R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.

And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.

R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
1 Jn 3:18-24

Children, let us love not in word or speech
but in deed and truth.
Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God
and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.

Alleluia
Jn 15:4a, 5b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Today I am invited to recognize my close relationship with Jesus, which he compares to the relationship between a vine and the branches that grow on it. What does it mean for my life that the life of Jesus flows into me? What does it mean for me personally to know that I am as much a part of Jesus as the branch is a part of the vine? Are there things in my life that would be different if I consciously realized this? What are they? I reflect on these things, I talk to Jesus about them and I ask the Holy Spirit to guide and enlighten me.

PRAYER:

Teach me, Lord Jesus, what it is to live in you, and for you to live in me. It means being in love with you, being at ease with you, finding my strength in you, and being ready, when questioned, to explain to others what you are in my life. 

Master, To Whom Shall We Go?

APRIL 20, 2024 - SATURDAY 
Saturday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
Lectionary: 278
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Acts 9:31-42

The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
was at peace.
She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.
As Peter was passing through every region,
he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda.
There he found a man named Aeneas,
who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed.
Peter said to him,
"Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed."
He got up at once.
And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him,
and they turned to the Lord.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha
(which translated is Dorcas).
She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving.
Now during those days she fell sick and died,
so after washing her, they laid her out in a room upstairs.
Since Lydda was near Joppa,
the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men to him with the request,
"Please come to us without delay."
So Peter got up and went with them.
When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs
where all the widows came to him weeping
and showing him the tunics and cloaks
that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed.
Then he turned to her body and said, "Tabitha, rise up."
She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.
He gave her his hand and raised her up,
and when he had called the holy ones and the widows,
he presented her alive.
This became known all over Joppa,
and many came to believe in the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R. (12) How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.

How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD

R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.

My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.

R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.

O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia 
Jn 6:63c, 68c

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 6:60-69

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
"This saying is hard; who can accept it?"
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, "Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe."
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father."
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."

REFLECTION:

“What about you, do you want to go away too?” The teaching and miracles of Jesus left his hearers with a decision: to believe and follow Jesus or to follow the crowd and go their separate ways. Today is no different: fewer practice their faith and truly open themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit when they have decisions to make.

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life? If this is truly so, that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, then the Lord will surely give us the strength to withstand the jibes, the ridicule and give us the courage to follow our convictions trusting the Lord will be with us to enlighten our decisions and the grace to carry them through. Have you made a decision recently which put you among the Lord’s followers?

PRAYER:

Lord, draw me close to you, and be spirit and life for me.

For my Flesh is True Food, And my Blood is True Drink

APRIL 19, 2024 - FRIDAY
Friday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
Lectionary: 277
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Acts 9:1-20

Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.
On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus,
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
He said, "Who are you, sir?"
The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do."
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,
and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias."
He answered, "Here I am, Lord."
The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight."
But Ananias replied,
"Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name."
But the Lord said to him,
"Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name."
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
"Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 117:1bc, 2

R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!

R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.

For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 6:56

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood,
remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 6:52-59

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my Flesh is true food,
and my Blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

REFLECTION:

Jesus did not want the people simply to agree with him, to assent to his ideas. He wanted them to be drawn fully into the life of God, just as he was. He invites us to be consumed by God, to let go of our reservations and hesitations, and to trust in the one who gives life.

PRAYER:

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. ”When we eat ordinary food, provided we are well, we digest food naturally without our noticing.  The receiving of the Lord in the Eucharist requires our attentiveness, our welcome, our silence, our prayers of intercession to the Lord we have just received. Thank you, Lord Jesus, I bring before you my day and all the concerns of my heart.

Flesh For The Life Of The World

APRIL 18, 2024 - THURSDAY
Thursday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
Lectionary: 276
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Acts 8:26-40

The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip,
“Get up and head south on the road
that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.”
So he got up and set out.
Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch,
a court official of the Candace,
that is, the queen of the Ethiopians,
in charge of her entire treasury,
who had come to Jerusalem to worship, and was returning home.
Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
The Spirit said to Philip,
“Go and join up with that chariot.”
Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said,
“Do you understand what you are reading?”
He replied,
“How can I, unless someone instructs me?”
So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him.
This was the Scripture passage he was reading:
Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who will tell of his posterity?
For his life is taken from the earth.
Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply,
“I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this?
About himself, or about someone else?”
Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this Scripture passage,
he proclaimed Jesus to him.
As they traveled along the road
they came to some water,
and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water.
What is to prevent my being baptized?”
Then he ordered the chariot to stop,
and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water,
and he baptized him.
When they came out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away,
and the eunuch saw him no more,
but continued on his way rejoicing.
Philip came to Azotus, and went about proclaiming the good news
to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 66:8-9, 16-17, 20

R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Bless our God, you peoples,
loudly sound his praise;
He has given life to our souls,
and has not let our feet slip.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
When I appealed to him in words,
praise was on the tip of my tongue.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 6:51

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven,

says the Lord;

whoever eats this bread will live forever.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 6:44-51

Jesus said to the crowds:
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
They shall all be taught by God.
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my Flesh for the life of the world."

REFLECTION:

We live two lives - the flesh and the spirit, earthly and eternal. Faith in God is life-giving. It gives energy to every day, to the commonplace. The struggle to do good and to live a gospel-centered life is nourished by our faith. Prayer is a time to be aware of the life that is eternal. Moments of prayer bring us in touch with the eternal within us, and the eternal around us, the atmosphere of the risen Christ.

Jesus lives in the shadow of eternity and calls on our faith that we will live forever. The call of love and the experience of love in life hints at something more than human, of a mystery totally linked to God. The bread of life is the gift of God's life on earth. In opening ourselves to the word of God and the bread of God we are gifted and graced with the love that lasts forever.

PRAYER:

Lord, you are starting to open to me what the Eucharist can mean: a pledge of eternal life, and nourishment for my daily journey, as well as the viaticum that will strengthen me for my last journey, to you.

Jesus, The Bread Of Life

APRIL 17, 2024 - WEDNESDAY
Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
Lectionary: 275
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Acts 8:1b-8

There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment.
Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a

R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, "How tremendous are your deeds!"

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

"Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!"
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia
See Jn 6:40

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day, says the Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 6:35-40

Jesus said to the crowds,
"I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day."

REFLECTION:

Here Jesus uses the simplest of images to help us understand: he talks of bread. In his day, when diets were simple, bread kept people alive; it satisfied their hunger and gave them strength to keep going. Here Jesus is saying that he is ‘the bread of life’ for them: by accepting his friendship they will be nourished, fed, strengthened, and become more alive.

If you came today to a startling awareness of the goodness and generosity of God towards the world, how would you share it with others? This was the challenge that Jesus faced from his childhood on, because he had an unique appreciation of what God is like!

PRAYER:

I pray: ‘Lord, help me always to draw life from your friendship with me’.

Bread From Heaven

APRIL 16, 2024 - TUESDAY
Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
Lectionary: 274
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Acts 7:51—8:1a

Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes:
"You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears,
you always oppose the Holy Spirit;
you are just like your ancestors.
Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?
They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one,
whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.
You received the law as transmitted by angels,
but you did not observe it."
When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God
and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and Stephen said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened
and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
But they cried out in a loud voice,
covered their ears, and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out,
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice,
"Lord, do not hold this sin against them";
and when he said this, he fell asleep.
Now Saul was consenting to his execution.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 7b and 8a, 17 and 21ab

R. (6a) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.

R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
My trust is in the LORD;
I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy.

R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men.

R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia
Jn 6:35ab

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the bread of life, says the Lord;
whoever comes to me will never hunger.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 6:30-35

The crowd said to Jesus:
"What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?
What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:
He gave them bread from heaven to eat."
So Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world."
So they said to Jesus,
"Sir, give us this bread always."
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst."

REFLECTION:

“ I am the Bread of Life…” At the last supper Jesus as Jesus looked around at his apostles, must have wondered whether they would stay united or grow into cliques through jealousies or disagreements. Would they remember his teaching and have the courage to travel to announce his Good News? So he takes bread and blesses it and hands it to them saying, “Take this and eat. This is my body which is given up for you.” He would be food for their journeys, food to nourish their faith, hope, and love.

PRAYER:

Lord, the words you held out to those Galileans so long ago are held out to me today. In every Eucharist, you bring me life, even if I do not understand how. By partaking of the bread of life let me become your hands, your feet, your heart in the world. May I be self-giving as you are.

Believe In The One He Sent

APRIL 15, 2024 - MONDAY
Monday of the Third Week of Easter (White)
Lectionary: 273
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Acts 6:8-15

Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyreneans, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
Then they instigated some men to say,
“We have heard him speaking blasphemous words
against Moses and God.”
They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes,
accosted him, seized him,
and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
They presented false witnesses who testified,
“This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law.
For we have heard him claim
that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place
and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him
and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Responsorial Psalm
119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30

R.    (1ab)  Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R.    Alleluia.

Though princes meet and talk against me,
your servant meditates on your statutes.
Yes, your decrees are my delight;
they are my counselors.

R.    Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R.    Alleluia.

I declared my ways, and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.

R.    Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R.    Alleluia.

Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with your law.
The way of truth I have chosen;
I have set your ordinances before me.

R.    Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia
Mt 4:4b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

One does not live on bread alone
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 6:22-29

[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.]
The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea
saw that there had been only one boat there,
and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat,
but only his disciples had left.
Other boats came from Tiberias
near the place where they had eaten the bread
when the Lord gave thanks.
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

REFLECTION:

The memory of kindnesses received continues long after the death of someone who has been good to us. Call to mind some grateful memories: a listening ear, a word of wisdom, and generous deed. In eternity many details of our life will count for nothing, but other details will: they will include St. Paul’s signs of the spirit: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22)

PRAYER:

Help us, Lord, to approach you with reverence and to allow you to meet us where we are. Purify our searching for you; let us not seek you for our own sakes but so that you may find life in us.