Tuesday in the Third Week of Easter
Mass Readings
First Reading – Acts 7:51—8:1a
Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the Holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it.” When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and Stephen said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep. Now Saul was consenting to his execution.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 7b and 8a, 17 and 21ab (R.6a)
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.R.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
You will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
My trust is in the LORD;
I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy. R.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men. R.
Gospel – Jn 6:30-35
The crowd said to Jesus: “What sign can You do, that we may see and believe in You? What can You do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” So they said to Jesus, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.”
Featured Saints
St. Engratia, virgin and martyr (+ fourth century). Christian from a noble family, martyred for boldly appearing before the Roman magistrate in Saragossa, Spain, to rebuke him for the atrocities he was committing against her fellow Christians.
St. Bernadette Soubirous, virgin (†1879 Nevers – France) Born to a poor family, she was favoured as a young girl with the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes; she later entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, where she was a model of humility. See also: The Spirituality of St. Bernadette Soubirous.
St. Benedict Joseph Labre, pilgrim (†1783). Wishing to lead a life of penance, he undertook exhausting pilgrimages to famous shrines, poorly clothed and living off alms. He died in Rome at 35 years of age.
St. Turibius of Astorga, bishop (†fifth century). Bishop of Astorga, in Hispania.
By mandate of Pope St. Leo the Great he fought the Priscillianist sect which was widespread in that region.
St. Fructuosus, bishop (†circa 665). Monk and founder of monasteries, he was Bishop of Dume and afterwards Archbishop of Braga, Portugal.
St. Magnus, martyr (†1116). Earl of the Orkney Islands, Scotland; he embraced the Catholic Faith and was traitorously killed during peace negotiations with his adversary in the principality.
St. Contardo of Este, pilgrim (†1249). Of noble lineage, he renounced worldly goods and adopted a life of extreme poverty. He died during a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
St. Drogo, recluse (†c. 1186). Resolved to lead a simple and recollected life, he lived forty years in a small cell adjacent to the church of Sebourg, France, from where he attended Mass through a small window.
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