Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 21, 2023
First Reading: Acts 5.34-42
34But someone in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law honored by all the people, rose up and ordered the men to be put outside briefly35And he said to them: "Men of Israel, you should be careful in your intentions about these men36For before these days, Theudas stepped forward, asserting himself to be someone, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined with him. But he was killed, and all who believed in him were scattered, and they were reduced to nothing37After this one, Judas the Galilean stepped forward, in the days of the enrollment, and he turned the people toward himself. But he also perished, and all of them, as many as had joined with him, were dispersed38And now therefore, I say to you, withdraw from these men and leave them alone. For if this counsel or work is of men, it will be broken39Yet truly, if it is of God, you will not be able to break it, and perhaps you might be found to have fought against God." And they agreed with him40And calling in the Apostles, having beaten them, they warned them not to speak at all in the name of Jesus. And they dismissed them41And indeed, they went forth from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were considered worthy to suffer insult on behalf of the name of Jesus42And every day, in the temple and among the houses, they did not cease to teach and to evangelize Christ Jesus
Psalm 27
1A Psalm of David, before he was sealed. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid2Meanwhile, the guilty draw near to me, so as to eat my flesh. Those who trouble me, my enemies, have themselves been weakened and have fallen3If entrenched armies were to stand together against me, my heart would not fear. If a battle were to rise up against me, I would have hope in this4One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, so that I may behold the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple5For he has hidden me in his tabernacle. In the day of evils, he has protected me in the hidden place of his tabernacle6He has exalted me upon the rock, and now he has exalted my head above my enemies. I have circled around and offered a sacrifice of loud exclamation in his tabernacle. I will sing, and I will compose a psalm, to the Lord7Hear my voice, O Lord, with which I have cried out to you. Have mercy on me, and hear me8My heart has spoken to you; my face has sought you. I yearn for your face, O Lord9Do not turn your face away from me. In your wrath, do not turn aside from your servant. Be my helper. Do not abandon me, and do not despise me, O God, my Saviour10For my father and my mother have left me behind, but the Lord has taken me up11O Lord, establish a law for me in your way, and direct me in the right path, because of my enemies12Do not surrender me to the souls of those who trouble me. For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity has lied to itself13I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living14Wait for the Lord, act manfully; and let your heart be strengthened, and remain with the Lord
Gospel: John 6.1-15
1After these things, Jesus traveled across the sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias2And a great multitude was following him, for they saw the signs that he was accomplishing toward those who were infirm3Therefore, Jesus went onto a mountain, and he sat down there with his disciples4Now the Passover, the feast day of the Jews, was near5And so, when Jesus had lifted up his eyes and had seen that a very great multitude came to him, he said to Philip, "From where should we buy bread, so that these may eat?6But he said this to test him. For he himself knew what he would do7Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii of bread would not be sufficient for each of them to receive even a little.8One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him9"There is a certain boy here, who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are these among so many?10Then Jesus said, "Have the men sit down to eat." Now, there was much grass in that place. And so the men, in number about five thousand, sat down to eat11Therefore, Jesus took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he distributed it to those who were sitting down to eat; similarly also, from the fish, as much as they wanted12Then, when they were filled, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments that are left over, lest they be lost.13And so they gathered, and they filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which were left over from those who had eaten14Therefore, those men, when they had seen that Jesus had accomplished a sign, they said, "Truly, this one is the Prophet who is to come into the world.15And so, when he realized that they were going to come and take him away and make him king, Jesus fled back to the mountain, by himself alone
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound lessons of faith and trust in God's providence. The first reading from Acts 5:34-42 introduces Gamaliel, a wise Pharisee who advises the council to wait and discern whether the apostles' work is of God. His counsel emphasizes patience and trust in God's plan, teaching us to avoid hasty judgments and instead seek divine guidance. The second reading, from John 6:1-15, recounts the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with just five loaves and two fish. This miracle illustrates God's abundant provision and the importance of trusting in His goodness, even when resources seem insufficient.
The context of these readings highlights pivotal moments in the early church and Jesus' ministry. In Acts, the early church faces persecution, and Gamaliel's speech is a crucial moment of caution against opposing the apostles without understanding God's will. In John, the feeding miracle is part of the Bread of Life discourse, emphasizing Jesus as the source of spiritual nourishment. Both readings underscore the theme of trusting in God's timing and provision.
Applying these lessons to our lives, we are reminded to approach challenges with faith and discernment. When faced with uncertainty, we should seek God's will patiently, just as Gamaliel advised. Similarly, in times of need, we trust in God's abundance, as seen in the feeding of the 5,000. The moral lesson here is clear: cultivate faith and trust in God's plan, knowing that His timing and provision are perfect. Let us embrace this wisdom, living with patience and trust, secure in the knowledge of God's loving care.