Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 10, 2024
First Reading: Acts 5.17-26
17Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.18They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.20"Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."21At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.22When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin--the full assembly of the elders of Israel--and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,23"We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside."24On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.25Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people."26At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
Psalm 34
1I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.2My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.3Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.4I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.5Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.6This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.8Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.9Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.10The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.11Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.12Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,13keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.14Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;16the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.17The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.18The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.19A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;20he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.21Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.22The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.
Gospel: John 3.16-21
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the power of faith and the call to live as children of light in a world often shrouded in darkness. In the first reading from Acts, we see the Apostles facing persecution and imprisonment for their bold proclamation of the Gospel. Yet, even in the face of such opposition, they remain steadfast in their mission. An angel of the Lord frees them from prison, and instead of fleeing, they return to the temple to continue teaching the people. This act of obedience and courage shows us that true faith is not about escaping challenges but about trusting in God’s plan and remaining faithful even when the path is difficult.
In the Gospel, John reminds us of the profound love of God, who sent His only Son into the world not to condemn it but to save it. This passage is a beautiful expression of the heart of the Christian faith: God’s love for the world is so great that He gave us the gift of His Son, Jesus, to bring us eternal life. Yet, John also warns us that this gift comes with a choice. Those who reject the light of Christ choose to remain in darkness, and their refusal to believe is itself a form of judgment. The light of Christ reveals the truth of our actions and the state of our hearts.
These readings call us to reflect on how we live out our faith in daily life. Like the Apostles, we are called to be bold in sharing the Gospel, even when it is uncomfortable or challenging. Like the people in John’s Gospel, we are invited to choose the light of Christ over the darkness of sin and indifference. Let us ask ourselves: Do we trust in God’s providence, even when the road ahead seems uncertain? Do we allow the light of Christ to shine in our lives, guiding our actions and decisions? May we, like the Apostles, be courageous in living out our faith, and may we, like those who accept the light of Christ, walk in truth and love.