Mass Reading: Sunday - 19th April 2026

First reading
Acts 2:14,22-33
God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to this

    On the day of Pentecost Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd in a loud voice: ‘Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law. You killed him, but God raised him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades; for it was impossible for him to be held in its power since, as David says of him:

I saw the Lord before me always,
for with him at my right hand nothing can shake me.

So my heart was glad
and my tongue cried out with joy;

my body, too, will rest in the hope
that you will not abandon my soul to Hades
nor allow your holy one to experience corruption.

You have made known the way of life to me,
you will fill me with gladness through your presence.

‘Brothers, no one can deny that the patriarch David himself is dead and buried: his tomb is still with us. But since he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn him an oath to make one of his descendants succeed him on the throne, what he foresaw and spoke about was the resurrection of the Christ: he is the one who was not abandoned to Hades, and whose body did not experience corruption. God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-11

Show us, Lord, the path of life.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
    I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
    it is you yourself who are my prize.’

Show us, Lord, the path of life.

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
    who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
    since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

Show us, Lord, the path of life.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
    even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
    nor let your beloved know decay.

Show us, Lord, the path of life.

You will show me the path of life,
    the fullness of joy in your presence,
    at your right hand happiness for ever.

Show us, Lord, the path of life.

________

Second reading
1 Peter 1:17-21
Your ransom was paid in the precious blood of Christ

    If you are acknowledging as your Father one who has no favourites and judges everyone according to what he has done, you must be scrupulously careful as long as you are living away from your home. Remember, the ransom that was paid to free you from the useless way of life your ancestors handed down was not paid in anything corruptible, neither in silver nor gold, but in the precious blood of a lamb without spot or stain, namely Christ; who, though known since before the world was made, has been revealed only in our time, the end of the ages, for your sake. Through him you now have faith in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory for that very reason – so that you would have faith and hope in God.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Lk24:32

Alleluia, alleluia!

Lord Jesus, explain the Scriptures to us.
Make our hearts burn within us as you talk to us.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 24:13-35
They recognized him at the breaking of bread

    Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.

    Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’

    Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.

    When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’

    They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 19th April 2026

 

ACTS 2:14, 22-33; PS 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; 1 PT 1:17-21; LK 24:13-35

Today’s readings focus on a theme of “sojourning.” As Christian stewards, we know our lives are a sojourn toward the ultimate destination of heaven.

Our Gospel passage today describes the sojourn of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The two are dejected and despondent after Jesus’ death. They knew Jesus personally. They had heard the Gospel message directly from His lips. They heard the testimony of the women who discovered our Lord’s empty tomb and saw a vision of angels announcing He was alive. They had been informed by other disciples who went to the tomb that all was exactly as the women reported.

How much more obvious could the Good News be?

And yet, at times, the reaction of the two disciples describes our own stewardship journey, doesn’t it? We have the fullness of the Catholic faith, the power of the sacraments, and the support of our parish family. Yet, we often lose our way. We fail to see all the gifts we have been given. We lack trust in the perfect goodness and almighty power of God.

But notice what happens to the two men when their eyes are opened once again, and they recognize Jesus in the Eucharist — the “breaking of the bread.” They are transformed! Their hearts are set on fire with love for the Lord and for their faith. They recall that their hearts began “burning within” as the Lord was explaining the Scriptures to them. When we find we have lost our way, we can go to the same sources as the two disciples on the road to Emmaus — the Scriptures and the Eucharist.

In this Easter season, resolve to feast deeply on these two sources of grace. They are the fuel that will propel us on our journey toward heaven.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 04th May 2025

First reading
Acts 5:27-32,40-41
We are witnesses to all this: we and the Holy Spirit

    The high priest demanded an explanation of the Apostles. ‘We gave you a formal warning’ he said ‘not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the guilt of this man’s death on us.’ In reply Peter and the apostles said, ‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’ They warned the apostles not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 29(30):2,4-6,11-13

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me
    and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, you have raised my soul from the dead,
    restored me to life from those who sink into the grave.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

Sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him,
    give thanks to his holy name.
His anger lasts a moment; his favour all through life.
    At night there are tears, but joy comes with dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

The Lord listened and had pity.
    The Lord came to my help.
For me you have changed my mourning into dancing:
    O Lord my God, I will thank you for ever.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

________

Second reading
Apocalypse 5:11-14
The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given riches and power

    In my vision, I, John, heard the sound of an immense number of angels gathered round the throne and the animals and the elders; there were ten thousand times ten thousand of them and thousands upon thousands, shouting, ‘The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing.’ Then I heard all the living things in creation – everything that lives in the air, and on the ground, and under the ground, and in the sea, crying, ‘To the One who is sitting on the throne and to the Lamb, be all praise, honour, glory and power, for ever and ever.’ And the four animals said, ‘Amen’; and the elders prostrated themselves to worship.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Lk24:32

Alleluia, alleluia!

Lord Jesus, explain the Scriptures to us.
Make our hearts burn within us as you talk to us.

Alleluia!

 

________

Gospel
John 21:1-19
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.

    After the meal Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.

‘I tell you most solemnly,
when you were young
you put on your own belt
and walked where you liked;
but when you grow old
you will stretch out your hands,
and somebody else will put a belt round you
and take you where you would rather not go.’

    In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 04th May 2025

ACTS 5: 27-32, 40B-41; PS 30:2, 4-6, 11-13; REV 5:11-14; JN 21:1-19

Our readings on this Third Sunday of Easter continue with lessons of hope for abundant new life in the Risen Lord. In fact, when we look at the Gospel Reading from John and compare it to the First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we get a glimpse of the “before Easter Disciples” and the “after Easter Disciples” that offer inspiration for positive change in all of us.

In the Gospel, we find the Apostles dejected and discouraged following the death of our Lord. Poor Peter decides to throw in the towel on the whole disciple thing and go back to his old way of life, declaring, “I’m going fishing.” Upon hearing this, the other disciples follow him.

How easy it is for all of us to backslide on changes we have made in our lives, especially when it comes to our spiritual lives. We make a positive resolution — for instance to develop more patience or more discipline in our prayer lives — only to find our temper flaring in traffic or our hand hitting the snooze button instead of getting out of bed to pray. It makes us just want to forget it, to stop trying and go back to our old ways. Those very feelings of discouragement and lost hope make it even harder to try yet again.

But look how Jesus treats the disciples during their “backslide.” He is right there with them in the midst of it, already waiting for them on the shore when they come back from their unsuccessful return to the fishing business (after abandoning their mission as disciples). Our Lord greets them with such tenderness, gently asking, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” Then he gives them some fishing pointers which lead to such a miraculous catch of fish that they finally recognize Him as the risen Lord. Wanting them to be at ease with Him, Jesus then feeds them breakfast. How gracious He is to them!

He is just as gracious today. When we find ourselves “out at sea” — discouraged by our failures or for squandering the gifts God has given us, or simply by a lack of progress in our faith life, Jesus is with us! He is calling to us from the shore to come back to Him without shame or embarrassment, but with hope-filled trust in His steadfast love. He never tires of offering “do-overs” if we just keep returning to Him.

This constant process of turning back to the Lord is the essence of a stewardship way of life. Good stewards are not necessarily those who have mastered some perfect formula for the giving of time, talent, and treasure. They are those who continue to get back up after each fall, who are willing to continually reevaluate their goals and priorities as they aim for Heaven. Good stewards simply have more confidence in the goodness of the Lord than fear of their own failure.

And little by little, good stewards find themselves becoming like the “after Easter Disciples”, we find in today’s first reading, who were proud to be called before the Sandhedrin for “filling Jerusalem” with the Good News of Jesus.

Let’s allow ourselves to be renewed with Easter hope on our stewardship journey, secure in the knowledge that Jesus is walking alongside us each step of the way.

Mass Reading : Sunday - 14th April 2024

First reading
Acts 3:13-15,17-19
You killed the prince of life: God, however, raised him from the dead

    Peter said to the people: ‘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.

    ‘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.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 4:2,4,7,9

Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

When I call, answer me, O God of justice;
    from anguish you released me, have mercy and hear me!

Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

It is the Lord who grants favours to those whom he loves;
    the Lord hears me whenever I call him.

Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

‘What can bring us happiness?’ many say.
    Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once
    for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

________

Second reading
1 John 2:1-5
Jesus Christ is the sacrifice that takes our sins away, and the world's

I am writing this, my children,
to stop you sinning;
but if anyone should sin,
we have our advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ, who is just;
he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away,
and not only ours,
but the whole world’s.

We can be sure that we know God
only by keeping his commandments.
Anyone who says, ‘I know him’,
and does not keep his commandments,
is a liar,
refusing to admit the truth.
But when anyone does obey what he has said,
God’s love comes to perfection in him.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Lk24:32

Alleluia, alleluia!

Lord Jesus, explain the Scriptures to us.
Make our hearts burn within us as you talk to us.

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.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 14th April 2024

ACTS 3:13-15, 17-19; PS 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9; 1 JN 2:1-5a; LK 24:35-48



During this Easter season, in addition to celebrating all that Christ did for us, we are also reminded of how His sacrifice impacts our lives. The knowledge of His sacrifice should not only affect our minds but also our hearts, changing how we live. With that in mind, our readings today call us to reflect on the necessary changes we must make as disciples of Christ.

Our first reading reminds us that we are called to conversion. St. Peter recounts that man put Christ to death as he stated, “You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.” Although many were unaware of what they were doing at that time, many became aware through the preaching of the disciples. St. Peter was calling those individuals to repent and transform their lives.

Through sin, we betray Jesus once again. It is like saying, “crucify Him!” Sometimes we deliberately turn away from Jesus out of pride and selfishness, and other times, we are not even aware of the gravity of our sin. Whether we know our weaknesses or are ignorant to them, let us ask God to reveal the areas of our lives in which we are betraying Him — maybe through addiction, materialism, and how we spend our money or time and putting things above God. And let us ask for the grace to repent and change our ways.

In our Gospel, we are reminded that Jesus should be the central point in our lives. This passage begins with two disciples realizing Jesus had just appeared to them. They had previously spent a day with Him without recognizing His appearance.

We can learn a valuable lesson from these disciples. To recognize Jesus’ appearances in our lives, we need to know Him. And the best way to know the Lord is to spend time with Him. It can start with just ten minutes of quiet prayer a day and increasing that time week by week. We might begin by reading Scripture, the lives of the Saints, or even a decade of the Rosary. Yet the goal should be to carve out a specific time or times each day, in a quiet space, for just you and the Lord. As these disciples spent time with Jesus, it says, “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Through building a routine of prayer and intentionally working on our relationship with Jesus, God will help us better understand His Word and all that He is calling us to do.

As the disciples mentioned in our Gospel, they recognized it was Jesus in the breaking of the bread. We can also better know the Lord through the sacraments, most especially the Holy Mass. The Eucharist is Jesus Himself — Body, Blood Soul, and Divinity. What better way to grow in intimacy with Christ than to receive Him as frequently as possible or to go into the church and talk to Him in front of the Blessed Sacrament? As we make Jesus the center of our lives — through prayer and the sacraments — we will be able to recognize Him in day-to-day moments.

The end of our Gospel reminds us that we are called to evangelize. The disciples in Jesus’ time were witnesses of His life, death, and resurrection. It was their duty to spread it to the ends of the earth. We are also witnesses. We were not physically at Calvary, but we are witnesses of the truth of our faith and the effects that Christ has on our lives. We are called to share the goodness and love He pours out on us to all those we meet. Very simply, we are called to be evangelists by the way we live our lives.

As we are still in the midst of this Easter season, let us take some time to think about what Christ did for us and the changes we should make in our daily lives to help us grow closer to Him.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 23rd April 2023

First reading
Acts 2:14,22-33
God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to this

    On the day of Pentecost Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd in a loud voice: ‘Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law. You killed him, but God raised him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades; for it was impossible for him to be held in its power since, as David says of him:

    I saw the Lord before me always,
for with him at my right hand nothing can shake me.
So my heart was glad
and my tongue cried out with joy;
my body, too, will rest in the hope
that you will not abandon my soul to Hades
nor allow your holy one to experience corruption.
You have made known the way of life to me,
you will fill me with gladness through your presence.

    ‘Brothers, no one can deny that the patriarch David himself is dead and buried: his tomb is still with us. But since he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn him an oath to make one of his descendants succeed him on the throne, what he foresaw and spoke about was the resurrection of the Christ: he is the one who was not abandoned to Hades, and whose body did not experience corruption. God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-11

Show us, Lord, the path of life.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
    I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
    it is you yourself who are my prize.’

Show us, Lord, the path of life.

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
    who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
    since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

Show us, Lord, the path of life.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
    even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
    nor let your beloved know decay.

Show us, Lord, the path of life.

You will show me the path of life,
    the fullness of joy in your presence,
    at your right hand happiness for ever.

Show us, Lord, the path of life.

________

Second reading
1 Peter 1:17-21
Your ransom was paid in the precious blood of Christ

    If you are acknowledging as your Father one who has no favourites and judges everyone according to what he has done, you must be scrupulously careful as long as you are living away from your home. Remember, the ransom that was paid to free you from the useless way of life your ancestors handed down was not paid in anything corruptible, neither in silver nor gold, but in the precious blood of a lamb without spot or stain, namely Christ; who, though known since before the world was made, has been revealed only in our time, the end of the ages, for your sake. Through him you now have faith in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory for that very reason – so that you would have faith and hope in God.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Lk24:32

Alleluia, alleluia!

Lord Jesus, explain the Scriptures to us.
Make our hearts burn within us as you talk to us.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 24:13-35
They recognised him at the breaking of bread

    Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.

    Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’

    Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.

    When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’

    They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 23rd April 2023

 

ACTS 2:14, 22-33; PS 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; 1 PT 1:17-21; LK 24:13-35

Today’s readings focus on a theme of “sojourning.” As Christian stewards, we know that our lives are a sojourn toward the ultimate destination of heaven.
 
Our second reading instructs us to “conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that you were ransomed… with the precious blood of Christ.” What a  powerful reminder during the Easter season of our “why” for embracing the stewardship way of life — we have been ransomed by our Lord’s saving death and resurrection. Our lives are a gift from Him — as we sojourn through life, we are to make our lives a gift to Him in return.
 
Our Gospel passage today describes a sojourn as well, the familiar Easter season story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The two are dejected and despondent after Jesus’ death. These men knew Jesus personally. They were believers. They had heard the Gospel message directly from His lips. They talked with Him, traveled with Him, and ate with Him. They heard the testimony of the women who discovered the empty tomb of our Lord and saw a vision of angels announcing He was alive. And if that were not enough, they had also been informed by other disciples who went to the tomb that all was exactly as the women reported.
 
How much more obvious could the Good News be?
 
And yet, at times, the reaction of the two disciples describes our own walk of faith, doesn’t it? We have the fullness of the Catholic faith, the power of the sacraments, and the support of our parish family. Yet, we lose our way. We fail to see all the gifts we have been given. We lack trust in the perfect goodness and almighty power of God. The life of a disciple — even for us modern-day disciples — is truly a sojourn, with valleys and mountaintops, wrong turns, and course corrections required regularly.
 
Our Lord offers a course correction to the two disciples who have lost their way, opening their eyes to the reality of His presence and the truth of His Resurrection. What happens when their eyes are opened once again, and they recognize Jesus in the Eucharist —  “the breaking of the bread?” They are transformed! Their hearts are set on fire with love for the Lord and their faith. They recall that their hearts began “burning within” as the Lord was explaining the Scriptures to them.
 
So, what can we do when we become discouraged when we need our hearts set on fire once again? We can go to the same sources as the two disciples on the road to Emmaus — the Scriptures (the living Word of God) and the Eucharist (the very source and summit of our faith). Frequent recourse to these two gifts from our Lord is essential to sustain us in the stewardship way of life.
 
In this Easter season, resolve to feast deeply on these two sources of grace. They are the fuel that will propel us on the journey toward heaven, with a renewed sense of joy and gratitude as we go!

Mass Reading: Sunday, 1st May 2022

First reading
Acts 5:27-32,40-41
We are witnesses to all this: we and the Holy Spirit

The high priest demanded an explanation of the Apostles. ‘We gave you a formal warning’ he said ‘not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the guilt of this man’s death on us.’ In reply Peter and the apostles said, ‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’ They warned the apostles not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 29(30):2,4-6,11-13

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me
    and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, you have raised my soul from the dead,
    restored me to life from those who sink into the grave.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

Sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him,
    give thanks to his holy name.
His anger lasts a moment; his favour all through life.
    At night there are tears, but joy comes with dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

The Lord listened and had pity.
    The Lord came to my help.
For me you have changed my mourning into dancing:
    O Lord my God, I will thank you for ever.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

________

Second reading
Apocalypse 5:11-14
The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given riches and power

In my vision, I, John, heard the sound of an immense number of angels gathered round the throne and the animals and the elders; there were ten thousand times ten thousand of them and thousands upon thousands, shouting, ‘The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing.’ Then I heard all the living things in creation – everything that lives in the air, and on the ground, and under the ground, and in the sea, crying, ‘To the One who is sitting on the throne and to the Lamb, be all praise, honour, glory and power, for ever and ever.’ And the four animals said, ‘Amen’; and the elders prostrated themselves to worship.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Lk24:32

Alleluia, alleluia!

Lord Jesus, explain the Scriptures to us.
Make our hearts burn within us as you talk to us.

Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia!

Christ has risen: he who created all things,
and has granted his mercy to men.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 21:1-19
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.

    After the meal Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.

‘I tell you most solemnly,

when you were young

you put on your own belt

and walked where you liked;

but when you grow old

you will stretch out your hands,

and somebody else will put a belt round you

and take you where you would rather not go.’

In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 18th April 2021

ACTS 3:13-15, 17-19; PS 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9; 1 JN 2:1-5a; LK 24:35-48

During this Easter season, in addition to celebrating all that Christ did for us, we are also reminded of how His sacrifice impacts our lives. The knowledge of His sacrifice should not only affect our minds but also our hearts, changing how we live. With that in mind, our readings today call us to reflect on the necessary changes we must make as disciples of Christ. 
 
Our first reading reminds us that we are called to conversion. St. Peter recounts that man put Christ to death as he stated, “You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.” Although many were unaware of what they were doing at that time, many became aware through the preaching of the disciples. St. Peter was calling those individuals to repent and transform their lives. 
 
Through sin, we betray Jesus once again. It is like saying, “crucify Him!” Sometimes we deliberately turn away from Jesus out of pride and selfishness, and other times, we are not even aware of the gravity of our sin. Whether we know our weaknesses or are ignorant to them, let us ask God to reveal the areas of our lives in which we are betraying Him — maybe through addiction, materialism, and how we spend our money or time and putting things above God. And let us ask for the grace to repent and change our ways. 
 
In our Gospel, we are reminded that Jesus should be the central point in our lives. This passage begins with two disciples realizing Jesus had just appeared to them. They had previously spent a day with Him without recognizing His appearance.
 
We can learn a valuable lesson from these disciples. To recognize Jesus’ appearances in our lives, we need to know Him. And the best way to know the Lord is to spend time with Him. It can start with just ten minutes of quiet prayer a day and increasing that time week by week. We might begin by reading Scripture, the lives of the Saints, or even a decade of the Rosary. Yet the goal should be to carve out a specific time or times each day, in a quiet space, for just you and the Lord. As these disciples spent time with Jesus, it says, “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Through building a routine of prayer and intentionally working on our relationship with Jesus, God will help us better understand His Word and all that He is calling us to do. 
 
As the disciples mentioned in our Gospel, they recognized it was Jesus in the breaking of the bread. We can also better know the Lord through the sacraments, most especially the Holy Mass. The Eucharist is Jesus Himself — Body, Blood Soul, and Divinity. What better way to grow in intimacy with Christ than to receive Him as frequently as possible or to go into the church and talk to Him in front of the Blessed Sacrament? As we make Jesus the center of our lives — through prayer and the sacraments — we will be able to recognize Him in day-to-day moments. 
 
The end of our Gospel reminds us that we are called to evangelize. The disciples in Jesus’ time were witnesses of His life, death, and resurrection. It was their duty to spread it to the ends of the earth. We are also witnesses. We were not physically at Calvary, but we are witnesses of the truth of our faith and the effects that Christ has on our lives. We are called to share the goodness and love He pours out on us to all those we meet. Very simply, we are called to be evangelists by the way we live our lives. 
 
As we are still in the midst of this Easter season, let us take some time to think about what Christ did for us and the changes we should make in our daily lives to help us grow closer to Him.

The Liturgy of the Word:. Sunday, 18th April 2021

First reading Acts 3:13-15,17-19 ·

You killed the prince of life: God, however, raised him from the dead

Peter said to the people: ‘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.

  ‘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.’

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm	Psalm 4:2,4,7,9

Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

When I call, answer me, O God of justice;

  from anguish you released me, have mercy and hear me!

Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

It is the Lord who grants favours to those whom he loves;

  the Lord hears me whenever I call him.

Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

‘What can bring us happiness?’ many say.

  Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once

  for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

Second reading
1 John 2:1-5 ·

Jesus Christ is the sacrifice that takes our sins away, and the world's

I am writing this, my children,

to stop you sinning;

but if anyone should sin,

we have our advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ, who is just;

he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away,

and not only ours,

but the whole world’s.

We can be sure that we know God

only by keeping his commandments.

Anyone who says, ‘I know him’,

and does not keep his commandments,

is a liar,

refusing to admit the truth.

But when anyone does obey what he has said,

God’s love comes to perfection in him.

The word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation	cf.Lk24:32

Alleluia, alleluia!

Lord Jesus, explain the Scriptures to us.

Make our hearts burn within us as you talk to us.

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.

Mass Readings - Sunday, 26th April 2020

FIRST READING
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles    2:14, 22-33
It was impossible for him to be held in its power of Hades.

On the day of Pentecost Peter stood up with the Eleven and
addressed them in a loud voice: ‘Men of Judaea, and all you who
live in Jerusalem, make no mistake about this, but listen carefully to
what I say. Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the
Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles
and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was
among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power
by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, you took
and had crucified by men outside the Law. You killed him, but God
raised him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades; for it was
impossible for him to be held in its power since, as David says of him:
“I saw the Lord before me always, for with him at my right hand nothing
can shake me.  So my heart was glad and my tongue cried out with joy;
my body, too, will rest in the hope that you will not abandon
my soul to Hades nor allow your holy one to experience corruption.
You have made known the way of life to me,
you will fill me with gladness through your presence.”
‘Brothers, no one can deny that the patriarch David himself is dead
and buried: his tomb is still with us. But since he was a prophet, and
knew that God had sworn him an oath to make one of his
descendants succeed him on the throne, ‘what he foresaw and
spoke about was the resurrection of the Christ: he is the one who
was not abandoned to Hades, and whose body did not experience
corruption. God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are
witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, he
has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and
what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit.’

The Word of the Lord.


Responsorial Psalm    Ps 15

Response:  Show us, Lord, the path of life.

1. Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.’

2. I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

3. And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
nor let your beloved know decay.

4. You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever.


SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St Peter    1:17-21

If you are acknowledging as your Father one who has no favourites
and judges everyone according to what he has done, you must be
scrupulously careful as long as you are living away from your home.
Remember, the ransom that was paid to free you from the useless
way of life your ancestors handed down was not paid in anything
corruptible, neither in silver nor gold, but in the precious blood of a
lamb without spot or stain, namely Christ; who, though known since
before the world was made, has been revealed only in our time, the
end of the ages, for your sake. Through him you now have faith in
God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory for that very
reason – so that you would have faith and hope in God.

The Word of the Lord.


Gospel Acclamation     Lk 24:32
Alleluia, alleluia!
Lord Jesus, explain the scriptures to us.
Make our hearts burn within us as you talk to us
Alleluia!


GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke    24:13-35
They recognised him at the breaking of bread.

Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called
Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking
together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over,
Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something
prevented them from recognizing him. He said to them, ‘What
matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short,
their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the
only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that
have been happening there these last few days’. ‘What things?’ he
asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he
was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of
God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our
leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him
crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set
Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all
happened; and some women from our group have astounded us:
they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not
find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of
angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the
tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but
of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full
message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should
suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and
going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages
throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he
made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is
nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in
to stay with them.
Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said
the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes
were opened and they recognized him; but he had vanished from
their sight.
Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he
talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found
the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to
them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’
Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and
how they had recognized him at the breaking of bread.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Readings - Sunday, 5th May 2019

Liturgical Readings for:
Sunday, 5th May, 2019
Today's Readings
Léachtaí Gaeilge

FIRST READING
Acts of the Apostles 5.27-32. 40-41
We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit. 

The high priest demanded an explanation of the apostles. ’We gave you a formal warning’ he said ‘not to preach in this name, and what have you done?
You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the
guilt of this man’s death on us.’ In reply Peter and the apostles said, ‘Obedience
to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’ and they had the apostles called in, gave orders for them to be flogged, warned
them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation
for the sake of the name.

The Word of the Lord 


Responsorial Psalm     Ps 29

Response I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.
or Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! 

1. I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, you have raised my soul from the dead, restored me to life from those who sink into the grave.                         Response

2. Sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him, give thanks to his holy name.
His anger lasts but a moment; his favour through life. 
At night there are tears, but joy comes with dawn.                                                 Response 

3. The Lord listened and had pity. 
The Lord came to my help. 
For me you have changed my mourning into dancing; O Lord my God, I will thank you for ever.                                     Response


SECOND READING.   Apocalypse 5:11-14 
The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given power and riches. 

In my vision, I heard the sound of an immense number of angels gathered round
the throne and the animals and the elders; there were ten thousand times ten
thousand of them and thousands upon thousands, shouting, ‘The Lamb that was
sacrificed is worthy to be given power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory
and blessing.’ Then I heard all the living things in creation – everything that lives
in the air, and on the ground, and under the ground, and in the sea, crying, ‘To the One who is sitting on the throne and to the Lamb, be all praise, honour, glory and power, for ever and ever.’ And the four animals said, ‘Amen’; and the elders prostrated themselves to worship.

The Word of the Lord 


Gospel Acclamation       Lk 24:32

Alleluia, alleluia!
Lord Jesus, explain the scriptures to us.
Make our hearts burn within us as you talk to us
Alleluia!
Or
Alleluia, alleluia!
Christ has risen: he who created all things

and has granted his mercy to men.
Alleluia



THE GOSPEL.       John 21:1-19 
Jesus then 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.
After the meal Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me
more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus
said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John,
do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him,
‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do
you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love
me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you,’ Jesus said to
him, ‘Feed my sheep.
‘I tell you most solemnly,

when you were young you put on your own belt and walked where you liked;
but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.’
In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory
to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’

The Gospel of the Lord.