Catholic Daily Reading + Reflection: 18 April 2021
Sunday April 18, 2021
3rd Sunday of Easter
Vestment: White
Today’s Rosary: The Glorious Mysteries
Theme of the Sunday: Passed from Death to a New Life. The gospel describes how the apostles came to believe that Christ had risen and had entered the glory of his Father. Their faith Journey is one we must make too. With faith comes conversion, forgiveness of sins and new life. The first and second readings show us what this new life is like.
Entrance Antiphon
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth; O sing to the glory of his name. O render him glorious praise, alleluia.
Collect
May your people exult for ever, O God, in renewed youthfulness of spirit, so that rejoicing now in the restored glory of our adoption, we may look forward in confident hope to the rejoicing of the day of resurrection. Through our Lord.
FIRST READING
“You killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. ”
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 3: 13- 15.17 -19ab)
In those days: Peter said to the people, “The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers, But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM psalm4:2.4.7.9 (R. 7b)
R/. Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.
Alleluia.
I called, the God of justice gave me answer;
from anguish you released me, have mercy and hear me! R.
Know that the Lord works wonders for his faithful one;
the Lord will hear me whenever I call him. R
“What can bring us happiness?” many say.
Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord. R
In peace I will lie down and fall asleep,
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. R.
SECOND READING
He is the expiation for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint John (1 John 2: 1-5a)
My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He who says “I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected.
The word of the Lord.
ALLELUIA Cf. Luke 24:32
Alleluia. Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us; make our hearts bum with love when you speak to us. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 24:35-48)
At that time: The two disciples told what had happened on the road, and how Jesus was known to them in the breaking of the bread. As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself, handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Christ feeds us.
PRIEST: My brothers and sisters, We are pilgrims, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who recognized Christ in the breaking of bread. Let us ask God our Father for all the spiritual food we need in our journey through life
READER:
FOR HOLINESS OF LIFE IN THE PRIEST OF THE CHURCH, (pause) may we always pray for priest who celebrate Mass on our altars, that in them, through their way of life, we may recognize the person of Christ. (pause) Lord, hear us; and be with us always we pray Oh Lord.
FOR THE WORLD, (pause) may witnesses like St. Peter be raised up in our time, who will fearlessly proclaim the power of the risen Lord. (pause) Lord, hear us; and be with us always we pray Oh Lord.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK, (pause) may they be comforted and strengthened by receiving Christ in the Eucharist, and through him, be at one with the whole Church. (pause) Lord, hear us; and be with us always we pray Oh Lord.
FOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, (pause) may we never become too familiar in our attitude to the Eucharist, nor too over laden with a sense of guilt, which would keep us away, but see the Eucharist as a sacrament of Christ’s wonderful love. (pause) Lord, hear us; and be with us always we pray Oh Lord.
In the presence of the Risen Christ, we pray in silence of our own intentions.
PRIEST: Father, we ask you to continue to nourish us with the body and blood of your Son. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Today’s Reflection
Peter again invites the Jewish people to repent of their sin of rejecting and crucifying Jesus. On the cross Jesus had said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Peter does the same, telling the people that they and their leaders knew not what they were doing. When we excuses people who offend us, we liberate ourselves from hurt and gain power to forgive from the heart. The Gospel takes us back to the Upper Room where the disciples, returning from Emmaus, narrate their encounter with the risen Jesus. Jesus Himself again appears to them; He helps them see how God used His passion and death for their own good. God does not will or plan rejection; but His love triumphs over and turns all evil unto good, even for those who do evil (cf. Rom 8:28).
Personal Devotional
– Open the eyes of my mind Lord, that I may see as you see, think as you think and choose as you would choose.
– Lord, I beseech you, teach me to submit to your leading.
– It is my desire to do your will. Stamp in my heart the desire to do your will.
– Wisdom come from you; dear Lord teach me to be godly and wise, O Lord.
Let Us Pray (Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi)
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.
