An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - April 12, 2026
“As The Father Has Sent Me, So I Send You”
In our readings today, we hear of the events and teachings of the very early days of the Church, both when Jesus was still with His disciples and immediately after His Ascension. We take this opportunity to celebrate God's boundless love in offering His only begotten Son for the sake of our sins.
Our first reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:42-47), which is the story of the formation and spread of the early Church. In today's passage, we hear how, from the earliest days, the Church came together and “devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.” It should be noted that the “breaking of the bread” (Eucharist) was a communal practice from the very beginning of the Church.
Our Epistle reading is from the opening of the First Letter of St. Peter (1 Peter 1:3-9). Peter wrote to the churches in Asia Minor encouraging them to fidelity in spite of their suffering. This is a letter filled with the joy, faith, and hope of the Resurrection. St. Peter’s words could never be more true than today, at Easter, “Although you have not seen Him you love Him; even though you do not see Him now yet believe in Him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy…”. This is us, this is now!
Our Gospel reading(John 20:19-31)has two distinct messages. One is the institution of the Sacrament of Reconciliation through the priesthood. He said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” The other message is the story of the apostle Thomas, who demanded to touch the wounds of Jesus before he would believe that Jesus has risen. It is a call to faith, which by its very nature is a belief in someone or something we have not yet seen.
During this fifty-day season of Easter until Pentecost Sunday, we get to hear the continuing saga of the formation of the early church. We will hear of Jesus' appearances to His disciples after His resurrection and will hear again some of His final words to His disciples just before His passion and death. The Church gives us this time to reflect and pray on "What just happened" in Christ's death and glorious resurrection. May we take this opportunity to come to know and love Jesus, the person, all the more.
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041226.cfm
An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - April 5, 2026
“Do Not Be Amazed! He Has Been Raised; He Is Not Here.”
It is Easter! We have come to the climactic conclusion of our forty days of Lenten preparation and our Holy Week liturgies. This is considered the most joyous
and most sacred liturgy of the year. Our Christ, who had come to live among us, suffered and died for our sins, and rose from the dead. Thus, He broke the bonds of death and leads the way for all of His faithful back to the Father.
The Vigil Mass on Saturday night features Old Testament readings that highlight key moments in salvation history, beginning with our first reading of the creation story(Genesis 1:1-2:2). In our second reading comes the story of God parting the Red Sea so the Israelites could escape their slavery in Egypt(Exodus 14:15 - 15:1). Our third reading is the prophesy of Isaiah near the end of the Israelite's exile in Babylon. It is an invitation to God’s grace and blessings(Isaiah 55:1-11). In our fourth reading, the Prophet Baruch(Bar 3:9-15, 32—4:4) writes on the importance of Wisdom. She is seen as being very close to God.
In our Epistle reading (Romans 6:3-11), St. Paul teaches us that as we also died with Christ, so too, we will receive new life in Christ.
In our Gospel reading (Matthew 28:1-10), we hear Matthew’s account of the resurrection. Two women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, found Jesus’ tomb empty with two angels saying, “He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.”
Easter Sunday Mass—The Easter morning readings are shorter and focus more succinctly on Jesus' resurrection. The first reading is from the Acts of the Apostles(Acts 10:34, 37-43) and is an excerpt of St. Peter's speech in Caesarea where he boldly proclaims the risen Christ.
Our second reading (Colossians 3:1-4) is a short reminder of what we should be doing: always focused on Christ, seek what is above instead of the things of the earth.
Our Gospel reading (John 20:1-9) is John's telling of the events on Easter morning. Mary of Magdala was the first to see the tomb empty and ran to get Simon Peter and the others.
Easter Vigil bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040426.cfm
Easter Sunday bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040526.cfm
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - March 29, 2026
“He Emptied Himself, Taking On The Form Of A Slave”
As we approach the climax of our Lenten journey, we take time today to relive the entire Passion of Christ: His last supper
with His friends, His betrayal, arrest, suffering, and crucifixion. During these difficult times of suffering in our world, it is even more important that we read and reflect on the suffering of our Savior Jesus the Christ, given to us through the Word of God.
This Sunday begins the highpoint of our liturgical season as we begin our walk with Jesus on His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, then to His sorrowful passion and death and then, on Easter Sunday, His glorious resurrection. On this Palm Sunday, we begin our liturgy with a Gospel reading at the Procession (Matthew 21:1-11), as we process into the Church joyfully proclaiming "Hosanna to the Son of David", just as they did that Palm Sunday two thousand years ago. This is a different kind of King, coming in peace, humbly riding on the back of a donkey.
As we continue Mass with our first reading(Isaiah 50:4-7), we recall Isaiah's prophesy of the suffering servant, persecuted for His righteousness, and yet “he does not flinch.” This prophesy of the suffering servant is seen as a clear reference to Jesus, who will come in to the world centuries after this was written. “I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.”
Our Epistle reading (Philippians 2:6-11)emphasizes the humility of Jesus, obedient to the Father “to the point of death, even death on a cross.” “Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,”
Our Gospel reading is the Passion of Our Lord according to Matthew (Mt 26:14-27:66). This account highlights Jesus' role in fulfilling God's promise to the Israelites so long ago. During the Passover supper with His disciples, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist. “Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to His disciples said, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’"
May we not pass this opportunity to reflect deeply on this mystery of God's salvation gift to us — the creator God who “pitched His tent” and dwelt among us.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032926.cfm
An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - March 22, 2026
“I Am The Resurrection And The Life”
Our readings for this Sunday focus our attention on the promise of new life in the resurrection. It is a promise not to be taken lightly. This promise is central to our faith.
Our first reading (Ezekiel 37:12-14)is an excerpt from the prophet Ezekiel’s “vision of the valley of bones”, prophesied during the time of Judah’s exile in Babylon. It was a time when all hope seemed lost. In Ezekiel’s vision, God commanded that the prophesy of a time when Israel would be restored and the “dry bones” in their graves would be raised from the dead and given flesh and sinew and breath. “Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live...”
In our Epistle reading (Romans 8:8-11), St. Paul draws a sharp contrast between those who live in Christ and those who are still "in the flesh". For those believers who are living "in the Spirit", they will know the resurrection through the Spirit. Saint Paul tells us, “If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit dwelling in you.”
In our Gospel reading (John 11:1-45), we hear the story of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus was told that His friend Lazarus was dying, He remained where He was another two days. He didn’t go to His friend until Lazarus was already dead. Jesus said to His apostles, “Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him.” Jesus did this "so that the crowd may believe that you (the Father) sent me". This was a foretaste of the bodily resurrection that will come to us all at the final judgement. This is not unlike our first reading from Ezekiel when the Lord will “open your graves and have you rise from them.”
This Sunday’s readings, along with the previous two Sundays (Woman at the Well and the Healing of the Man Born Blind), all from the Gospel according to John, were traditionally used as instruction and insight for catechumens in preparation for Baptism. May the reflection on these teachings be a source of renewal of our own Baptism as we prepare for the events we will re-live during Holy Week and Easter.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032226.cfm
An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - December 25
“AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US”
Our readings for Christmas Mass at night draw a direct connection between what Isaiah prophesied more than 500
years before Christ was born and what took place that Christmas night when the prophesy was fulfilled in all its humble glory.
In our first reading (Isaiah 9:1-6), we hear the prophesy of Isaiah that is proclaimed every Christmas Eve night - God's own Son will come to deliver us. "For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David's throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.”
In our Epistle (Titus 2:11-14), St. Paul leads us to remember that Christ promised to come again and will deliver us from all lawlessness. Paul teaches us how to live while we await the return of Jesus our Savior. “The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ.”
Our Gospel reading (Luke 2:1-14) is the account of Jesus' humble birth as Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to register for the census of the house of David. The first to bear witness were the lowly shepherds from the surrounding hillsides.
The birth of the Jesus the Messiah was not just something that happened a long time ago. It was an event foretold for centuries and awaited fervently by the people of Israel. From the moment of Jesus' birth to his tragic death and triumphant resurrection, he was the embodiment of humility, patience, and love. It is how he calls us to live "temperately, justly and devoutly in this age as we await the blessed hope."
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122523-night.cfm
Click 'Read more' for the reflection on the Christmas Day readings.