Tuesday in the 3rd 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 – 1Ps 31:3CD-4, 6 and 7B, 8A, 17, 21AB
R. (6a) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or: 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. Peter Nolasco, priest (†1245). Aided by St. Raymond de Peñafort and King James I of Aragon, he founded the Mercedarian Order in Spain, for the ransom of Christians from the Moors.
St. François de Laval, bishop (†1708). Memorial in Canada. Born to the illustrious Montmorency family, he renounced his rights as heir to embrace the clerical vocation. As the first Bishop of Quebec, for 50 years he worked with missionary zeal to strengthen and build up the Church in his vast diocese.
St. Venerius, bishop (†409). Disciple and sucessor of St. Ambrose of Milan. He supported St. John Chrysostom in exile.
St. Lucius of Cyrene. He is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles among the “prophets and doctors” (13:1) of the church at Antioch.
St. Benedicta, virgin (†sixth century). Roman nun; St. Gregory the Great relates that after insistently beseeching God, she died one month after the death of a beloved friend, St. Galla.
Blesseds Henry Kaczorowski and Casimir Gostynski, priests and martyrs (†1942). For their dedication and fervour in carrying out apostolic works in Poland, they were designated domestic prelates of the Pope. They died in the gas chamber of Dachau concentration camp in Germany.
Blessed Bartholomew Pucci Franceschi, priest (†1330). Feeling called to the religious life, he obtained the consent of his wife and children to enter the Franciscan monastery of Montepulciano, Italy.
Blessed Mary Catherine Troiani, virgin (†1887). Italian Franciscan religious, foundress of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters in Cairo, Egypt.
Blessed Anna Rosa Gattorno, religious (†1900). As a widow she founded the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Anne, Mother of Mary Immaculate, in Piacenza, Italy.
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