Monday April 15, 2024
Office: Psalter Week 3
Mass of the day; Preface of Easter
Vestment: White
Today’s Rosary: The Joyful Mysteries
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
The good shepherd has risen, who laid down his life for his sheep, and willingly died for his flock, alleluia.
COLLECT
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, putting off our old self with all its ways, we may live as Christ did, for through the healing paschal remedies, you have conformed us to his nature. Who lives and reigns with you…
FIRST READING
“They could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.”
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 6:8-15)
In those days: Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated men, who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 119:23-24.26-27.29-30 (R. 1b)
R/. Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord.
Or: Alleluia.
Though princes sit plotting against me,
your servant ponders your statutes.
See, your decrees are my delight;
your statutes are my counsellors. R/.
I declared my ways and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.
Make me grasp the way of your precepts,
and I will ponder your wonders. R/.
R/. Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord.
Or: Alleluia.
Keep me from the way of falsehood;
grant me mercy by your law.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
your decrees I have upheld. R/.
Also Read: Daily Reading for Sunday, April 14th, 2024
ALLELUIA Matthew 4:4b
Alleluia. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 6:22-29)
[After five thousand men had eaten their fill, the disciples of Jesus saw him walking on the sea.] On the next day the people who remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. However, boats from Tiberias came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
We must aim at the imperishable nourishment Jesus speaks of and believe in the one whom God has sent. The people had gone in search of Jesus not because of faith but because of utilitarian and materials motives. St Augustine of Hippo says, “How many are those who search for Jesus only to have from him temporal favours…! Rarely do we meet someone who looks for Jesus for Jesus.” Jesus is not demanding from us a series of activities but only faith in him. Faith is not a single action; it is a life to be lived in the varying experiences of daily life. In the measure we abandon our temporal and selfish motives in our search for Jesus, we fulfill the work of God, not our own.
BLESSING FOR THE NEW WEEK
Thank you Lord for this new day and this new week. Thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for your mercy and love. Accompany us in all that we shall do and may your grace help us to do the right thing at all times so that we will please you and be blessed by you.
May your truth be on our lips always and may we be willing and ready to accept the truth so that we will be healed.
I pray that God will shower his blessings upon you in a special way so that this new week shall bring joy, progress, increase in faith and prosperity to you and upon your household.
Be truthful in your dealings and you will be blessed
Meditation: Luke 4:16-30
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL
– Take the song, “Holy Ghost, do it again, do it again in my life.
– Father grant me a glimpse of your glory in the name of Jesus.
– Pray for the grace to be attentive to the voice of the spirit.
– Pray for revival of the authentic gifts of vision and revelation among believers
Let Us Pray,
Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have you present so that I do not forget you, you know how easily I abandon you. Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak, and I need you strength, that I may not fall so often, stay with me, Lord, for you are my life, and without you, I am without fervor. Stay with me, Lord, for you are my light, and without you, I am in darkness. Stay with me, Lord, to show me your will. Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love you very much, and always be in your company. Stay with me, Lord, if you wish me to be faithful to you. Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of consolation for you, a nest of love. Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes; death, judgment, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need you. It is getting late and death approaches, I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need you, my Jesus, in this night of exile! Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers. I need you. Let me recognize you as your disciples did at the breaking of the bread, so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart. Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to you, if not by communion, at least by grace and love. Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it, but the gift of your presence, oh yes, I ask this of you! Stay with me, Lord, for it is you alone I look for, your love, your Grace, your Will, your Heart, your Spirit, because I love you and ask no other reward but to lobe you more and more. With a firm love, I will love you with all my heart while on earth and continue to love you perfectly during all eternity. Amen.
