Entrance Antiphon cf. 1 Pt 2:9
O chosen people, proclaim the mighty works of him, who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light, alleluia.
Collect
O God, who in the celebration of Easter graciously give to the world the healing of heavenly remedies; show benevolence to your Church, that our present observance may benefit us for eternal life. Through our Lord. . .
FIRST READING
Behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 13:44-52)
The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted what was spoken by Paul, and reviled him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.”‘ And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of God; and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord spread throughout all the region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 98: 1 .2-3ab.3cd-4 (R. 3cd)
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation. R.
The Lord has made known his salvation,
has shown his deliverance to the nations.
He has remembered his merciful love
and his truth for the house of Israel. R.
R/. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song,
and sing out your praise. R.
ALLELUIA John 8:31b-32
Alleluia. If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, says the Lord. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“He who has seen me has seen the Father.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 14:7-14)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
Jesus is our access to the Father through his Death and Resurrection. The truth and the life he communicates are not purely future realities; the knowledge of Christ realizes here and now the knowledge of the Father. And we acquire such knowledge through faith in his word. The revelation of Christ as salvation is also the manifestation of the mystery of his being. At the level of their very being there is inalienable communion between the Father and the Son. To see, to know and to believe are practically synonyms in the Gospel of John. To know Christ the Son is to know the Father Himself, and through our faith in Christ we enter into communion with the Father. To know the truth is to know Jesus the Son of the Father.