Daily Mass Reflection & Daily Mass Readings
Daily Mass Reflection & Daily Mass Readings are vital for nurturing spiritual growth and maintaining a strong connection to one’s faith. These practices offer a dedicated time to meditate on the scriptures and the teachings of the homily, helping individuals internalize the lessons and apply them to their daily lives. Regular engagement with the readings fosters a deeper understanding of religious texts, while the reflection period allows for personal introspection and spiritual renewal. Together, they provide a foundation for a more meaningful and conscious practice of faith, promoting a sense of peace, guidance, and communal belonging.
25th April – Easter Friday
Several of Jesus’ first disciples were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus called them from their fishing to become his followers, promising to make them fishers of people. When Jesus was crucified and all their hopes in him were dashed, they returned to Galilee and went back to their fishing. Today’s gospel reading suggests that they had lost their touch as fishermen. Perhaps their hearts weren’t really in it. It is hard to go back to what we once did when, in the meantime, we have found something much more fulfilling. Yet, there is a short statement in the gospel reading which would change everything for the better, ‘There stood Jesus on the shore’. The risen Lord would not allow his disciples to go back. He had vitally important work for them to do. He began, however, by helping them with their fishing. His suggestion to throw their nets to starboard resulted in such a huge catch of fish that one of the disciples, the beloved disciple, immediately recognized the stranger on the shore as the Lord. ‘It is the Lord’, he said. Having helped them with their fishing, he then invited them to breakfast, ‘Come and have breakfast’. By very simple gestures, he was drawing them back into communion with himself. They may have abandoned him, but he had not abandoned them nor had he changed his plans for them. The Lord is always standing on the shore of our lives, regardless of what we have done or failed to do. He is always at work from within our own experience drawing us into communion with himself. He remains faithful to us, even when we are unfaithful. Having drawn us to himself, he then sends us out to share in his work of shepherding, the work of serving others in love, and he gives us his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to empower us to do his work.
24th April – Easter Thursday
In today’s gospel reading, when the disciples were talking about all that had happened to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, ‘Jesus himself stood among them’. They didn’t invite him to join their company. He simply took the initiative himself to join them. The risen Lord always stands among us, without waiting for our invitation. He stands among us, as he stood among those first disciples, with the wounds of his passion on his hands and feet. They are no longer simply the cruel wounds inflicted by brutal soldiers. They are the expressions of the extent of his love for us; they are the openings through which the love of God shines upon us. In the gospel reading, the risen Lord asked the disciples if they had anything to eat. He wanted to share table with them as he had done many times during his public ministry. Even though they had failed him in the hour of his passion and death, he wanted to enter into communion with them, to reveal the extent of his faithful love for them. The risen Lord stands among us today so as to enter into communion with us. He does that in a special way at every Eucharist. The Eucharist is the celebration of the Lord’s faithful love for us. The Lord can enter into communion with us in other ways as well, such as through his word and through those who journey with us in life. He also enters into communion with us through his sending of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. He lives within us through his Spirit. He then sends us out in the power of the Spirit to bring his presence to those we meet on the journey of life. The risen Lord wants to stand among people today in and through each one of us.
25th April >> Mass Readings
Easter Friday
(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I))
First Reading Acts of the Apostles 4:1-12 The name of Jesus Christ is the only one by which we can be saved.
While Peter and John were talking to the people the priests came up to them, accompanied by the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees. They were extremely annoyed at their teaching the people the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead by proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. They arrested them, but as it was already late, they held them till the next day. But many of those who had listened to their message became believers, the total number of whom had now risen to something like five thousand. The next day the rulers, elders and scribes had a meeting in Jerusalem with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, Jonathan, Alexander and all the members of the high-priestly families. They made the prisoners stand in the middle and began to interrogate them, ‘By what power, and by whose name have you men done this?’ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, addressed them, ‘Rulers of the people, and elders! If you are questioning us today about an act of kindness to a cripple, and asking us how he was healed, then I am glad to tell you all, and would indeed be glad to tell the whole people of Israel, that it was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the one you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name and by no other that this man is able to stand up perfectly healthy, here in your presence, today. This is the stone rejected by you the builders, but which has proved to be the keystone. For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.’
The Word of the Lord
R/ Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 117(118):1-2,4,22-27
R/ The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone. or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end. Let the sons of Israel say: ‘His love has no end.’ Let those who fear the Lord say: ‘His love has no end.’
R/ The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone. or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone. This is the work of the Lord, a marvel in our eyes. This day was made by the Lord; we rejoice and are glad.
R/ The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone. or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
O Lord, grant us salvation; O Lord, grant success. Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes. We bless you from the house of the Lord; the Lord God is our light.
R/ The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone. or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes
Christians, to the Paschal Victim offer sacrifice and praise. The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb; and Christ, the undefiled, hath sinners to his Father reconciled.
Death with life contended: combat strangely ended!
Life’s own Champion, slain, yet lives to reign.
Tell us, Mary: say what thou didst see upon the way.
The tomb the Living did enclose; I saw Christ’s glory as he rose!
The angels there attesting; shroud with grave-clothes resting.
Christ, my hope, has risen: he goes before you into Galilee.
That Christ is truly risen from the dead we know. Victorious king, thy mercy show!
Gospel Acclamation Psalm 117:24
Alleluia, alleluia! This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad. Alleluia!
Gospel John 21:1-14 Jesus stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish.
Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night. It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in. The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land. As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.
The Gospel of the Lord
R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
24th April >> Mass Readings
Easter Thursday
(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I))
First Reading Acts of the Apostles 3:11-26 You killed the prince of life: God, however, raised him from the dead.
Everyone came running towards Peter and John in great excitement, to the Portico of Solomon, as it is called, where the man was still clinging to Peter and John. When Peter saw the people he addressed them, ‘Why are you so surprised at this? Why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or holiness? You are Israelites, and it is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus, the same Jesus you handed over and then disowned in the presence of Pilate after Pilate had decided to release him. It was you who accused the Holy One, the Just One, you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer while you killed the prince of life. God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are the witnesses; and it is the name of Jesus which, through our faith in it, has brought back the strength of this man whom you see here and who is well known to you. It is faith in that name that has restored this man to health, as you can all see. ‘Now I know, brothers, that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing; this was the way God carried out what he had foretold, when he said through all his prophets that his Christ would suffer. Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, and so that the Lord may send the time of comfort. Then he will send you the Christ he has predestined, that is Jesus, whom heaven must keep till the universal restoration comes which God proclaimed, speaking through his holy prophets. Moses, for example, said: The Lord God will raise up a prophet like myself for you, from among your own brothers; you must listen to whatever he tells you. The man who does not listen to that prophet is to be cut off from the people. In fact, all the prophets that have ever spoken, from Samuel onwards, have predicted these days. ‘You are the heirs of the prophets, the heirs of the covenant God made with our ancestors when he told Abraham: in your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed. It was for you in the first place that God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.’
The Word of the Lord
R/ Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 8:2,5-9
R/ How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! What is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him?
R/ How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Yet you have made him little less than a god; with glory and honour you crowned him, gave him power over the works of your hand, put all things under his feet.
R/ How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
All of them, sheep and cattle, yes, even the savage beasts, birds of the air, and fish that make their way through the waters.
R/ How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes
Christians, to the Paschal Victim offer sacrifice and praise. The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb; and Christ, the undefiled, hath sinners to his Father reconciled.
Death with life contended: combat strangely ended!
Life’s own Champion, slain, yet lives to reign.
Tell us, Mary: say what thou didst see upon the way.
The tomb the Living did enclose; I saw Christ’s glory as he rose!
The angels there attesting; shroud with grave-clothes resting.
Christ, my hope, has risen: he goes before you into Galilee.
That Christ is truly risen from the dead we know. Victorious king, thy mercy show!
Gospel Acclamation Psalm 117:24
Alleluia, alleluia! This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad. Alleluia!
Gospel Luke 24:35-48 It is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.
The disciples told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised Jesus at the breaking of bread. They were still talking about all this when Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ In a state of alarm and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost. But he said, ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ And as he said this he showed them his hands and feet. Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it, and they stood there dumbfounded; so he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes. Then he told them, ‘This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms has to be fulfilled.’ He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’
The Gospel of the Lord
R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ