Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 27, 2022
First Reading: Acts 5.17-26
17But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy18they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,20"Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life."21And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought.22But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,23"We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside."24Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.25And someone came and told them, "Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people."26Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
Psalm 34
1I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.2My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.3Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!4I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.5Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.8Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!9Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!10The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.11Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.12What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?13Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.14Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.15The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.16The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.17When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.20He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.21Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.22The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Gospel: John 3.16-21
16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God."
Sermon
The first reading from Acts tells the story of the Apostles being imprisoned by the Sadducees, only to be miraculously freed by an angel of the Lord. Despite the authorities' attempts to silence them, the Apostles are found teaching in the temple the next morning. This passage highlights the early Christian community's courage and obedience to God's will, even in the face of persecution. The Gospel reading from John is one of the most famous passages in Scripture, John 3:16, which speaks of God's immense love for the world and the gift of eternal life through belief in Jesus Christ. It also contrasts light and darkness, emphasizing that those who reject the light do so because their deeds are evil, while those who act in truth are drawn to the light.
The readings are connected by the theme of obedience to God's will and the struggle between light and darkness. In Acts, the Apostles obey God's command to preach, even when it means defying human authority. In John's Gospel, Jesus speaks of the ultimate act of obedience—God sending His Son to save the world. Both readings remind us that following God often requires standing against the forces of darkness, whether they take the form of religious persecution or the pull of sin in our own lives.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to reflect on where we stand in the struggle between light and darkness. Are we courageous in sharing the Gospel, even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular? Do we act in truth, allowing God's light to shine through our actions? The moral lesson here is clear: our faith must be lived out in obedience to God, even when it challenges us. Like the Apostles, we are called to stand firm in our commitment to Christ, trusting that God's grace will see us through any trial. Let us embrace the light of Christ and allow it to guide us in all we do.