Wednesday of the 3rdWeek of Easter
Mass Readings
First Reading – Acts 8:1-8
There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him. Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church; entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment. Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a (R.1)
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!” R.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam. R.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever. R.
Gospel – Jn 6:35-40
Jesus said to the crowds, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen Me, you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to Me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to Me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent Me. And this is the will of the one who sent Me, that I should not lose anything of what He gave Me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I shall raise Him on the last day.”
Featured Saints
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, virgin (†1680.) Memorial in Canada. North American Indian, daughter of a Mohawk chief. As a young woman, she was baptized by a Jesuit missionary and consecrated her virginity to God, for which she suffered threats and ill-treatment until she was able to flee to a Christian village in French Canada, where she died at the age of 24. She is called the Lily of the Mohawks.
St. Robert of Molesme, abbot (†1111). Founder of the Abbey of Cîteaux, France, Motherhouse of the Cistercian Order.
Sts. Elias, Paul and Isidore, martyrs (†856). Killed in Cordoba, Spain, for their fidelity for their confession of Faith before the Moorish judge.
Blessed James of Cerqueto, priest (†1367). Member of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine, he demonstrated his heroic virtue by his resignation and peaceful acceptance of infirmities.
Blessed Clare Gambacorta, abbess (†1419). After the death of her husband, while still young, she founded the first Dominican monastery of strict observance in Pisa, Italy, encouraged by St. Catherine of Siena.
Blessed Mariana of Jesus, virgin (†1624). Overcoming her father’s opposition, she took the habit of the Mercedarian Order in Madrid, and led a life of prayer and penance.
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