Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter
Featured Saints
St. Lambert of Lyon, bishop (†688). Monk of Fontenelle Abbey, of which he became the superior after the death of St. Wandrille. He was later elected Bishop of Lyon.
St. Bernard of Tiron, abbot (†1117). After first entering the Monastery of St. Cyprian in Poitiers, France, he went on to found a monastery in Tiron, close to Chartres, where he instructed in Evangelical perfection the numerous disciples who gathered around him.
St. Tiburtius , St. Valerian and St. Maximus, Roman martyrs of the third century. According to tradition, St. Valerian was the husband of St. Cecilia and the brother of St. Tibutius, while St. Maximus was a converted Roman official who was put to death together with them.
St. Benezet of Avignon (†1184). Young shepherd, who, upon receiving a heavenly vision, headed to Avignon, France, where he built a bridge of the Rhone River and performed many miracles.
St. Lidwina, virgin (†1433). Consecrated to God at age 12 in Schiedam, Holland; a paralytic since her youth, she meekly accepted suffering in favour of the conversion of sinners and the salvation of the world.
Blessed Peter González, priest (†1246). He was canon of the Cathedral of Palencia, Spain, before becoming a Dominican friar. He accompanied St. Ferdinand of Castile as chaplain and preached especially to fishermen and sailors, who invoke him as St. Elmo.
Blessed Isabel Calduch Rovira, virgin and martyr (†1936). Capuchin religious, imprisoned, abused and shot to death during the religious persecution in Spain.
Mass Readings
First Reading –Acts 5:17-26
The high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy, laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said, “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.” When they heard this, they went to the temple early in the morning and taught. When the high priest and his companions arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin, the full senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the jail to have them brought in. But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison, so they came back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked and the guards stationed outside the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were at a loss about them, as to what this would come to. Then someone came in and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the people.” Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them, but without force, because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (R.7a)
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad. R.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and He answered me
and delivered me from all my fears. R.
Look to Him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress He saved him. R.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in Him. R.
Gospel – Jn 3:16-21
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through Him.
Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
