Wednesday in the 3rd Week of Easter
In Canada, optional Memorial of Blessed Marie-Leonie Paradis, virgin (†1912) in Canada. She founded the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family in Canada, to serve the clergy through the domestic care of rectories, seminaries and colleges.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Acts 8:1b-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 – 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
Sts. John Houghton, Robert Lawrence, Augustine Webster and Richard Reynolds, priests and martyrs (†1535). Feast in England. The first men to die as martyrs during the reign of king Henry VIII for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy. The first three were the first from the Carthusian Order and the fourth was a Brigidine monk.
St. Sylvanus of Gaza, bishop, and companions, martyrs (†circa 304). He was condemned to forced labour and finally beheaded in the mines of Phoenon, Palestine, with 39 other Christians, by order of Emperor Maximinus Daia.
St. Florian, martyr (†304). Roman soldier condemned for being Christian during the persecution of Diocletian; he was cast into the Enns River in Lorch, Germany, with a stone around his neck.
St. Antonina, martyr (†third/ fourth century). She was imprisoned for two years, tortured, and finally burned at the stake in Nicea for refusing to renounce the Faith.
Blessed Ladislaus of Gielnow, priest (†1505). Franciscan religious from Warsaw, he preached the Passion of Our Lord with extraordinary zeal, and composed hymns.
Blessed Jean-Martin Moÿe, priest (†1793). Priest from the Foreign Missions, founded the Institute of Sisters of Divine Providence in France, and went on mission to China. He died in exile in Germany during the French Revolution.
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