FRIday 14 APRIL

Saint Lydwine

St. Lydwine is the patroness of sickness. She was born in Holland. She experienced mystical gifts, including supernatural visions of heaven, hell, purgatory, apparitions of Christ, and the stigmata. She was canonized Pope Leo XIII in 1890.

Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 77: 53

The Lord led his people in hope, while the sea engulfed their foes, alleluia.

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, who gave us the Paschal Mystery in the covenant you established for reconciling the human race, so dispose our minds, we pray, that what we celebrate by professing the faith, we may express in deeds. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading: Acts 4:1-12

While Peter and John were talking to the people the priests came up to them, accompanied by the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees. They were extremely annoyed at their teaching the people the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead by proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. They arrested them, but as it was already late, they held them till the next day. But many of those who had listened to their message became believers, the total number of whom had now risen to something like five thousand. The next day the rulers, elders and Scribes had a meeting in Jerusalem with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, Jonathan, Alexander and all the members of the high-priestly families. They made the prisoners stand in the middle and began to interrogate them, “By what power, and by whose name have you men done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, addressed them, “Rulers of the people, and elders! If you are questioning us today about an act of kindness to a cripple, and asking us how he was healed, then I am glad to tell you all, and would indeed be glad to tell the whole people of Israel, that it was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the one you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name and by no other that this man is able to stand up perfectly healthy, here in your presence, today. This is the stone rejected by you the builders, but which has proved to be the keystone. For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.”

Psalm 117:1-2,4,22-27

R/ The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end. Let the sons of Israel say: ‘His love has no end.’ Let those who fear the Lord say: ‘His love has no end.’

The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone. This is the work of the Lord, a marvel in our eyes. This day was made by the Lord; we rejoice and are glad.

O Lord, grant us salvation; O Lord, grant success. Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes. We bless you from the house of the Lord; the Lord God is our light.

Gospel Acclamation: Ps117:24

Alleluia, alleluia! This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad. Alleluia!

Gospel: John 21:1-14

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” They replied, “We’ll come with you.” They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night. It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, “Have you caught anything, friends?” And when they answered, “No”, he said, “Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.” So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in. The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” At these words “It is the Lord”, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land. As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, “Who are you?” They knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.

Prayer over the Offerings

Perfect within us, O Lord, we pray, the solemn exchange brought about by these paschal offerings, that we may be drawn from earthly desires to a longing for the things of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Cf. Jn 21: 12-13

Jesus said to his disciples: Come and eat. And he took bread and gave it to them, alleluia.

Prayer after Communion

Keep safe, O Lord, we pray, those whom you have saved by your kindness that, redeemed by the Passion of your Son, they may rejoice in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Meditation

“Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’” A third time after his resurrection, Jesus appears to his disciples, assuring them of the closeness of his presence. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Simon Peter and his fellow disciples return to their former activities. After all, the master is no longer there; they have to keep busy. But the Master warns them: “Whoever puts his hand to the plough and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk 9:62). But that night they caught no fish. Jesus comes to them under the sign of the fruitfulness linked to his person and to the Eucharist, the sacrament of his presence. After the abundance of the catch, he sets the table for them: “Come and eat”. It is by having our eyes fixed on Christ who gives himself to us that all our activities can bear abundant fruit. Lord grant us, like the beloved disciple, to recognize you on our shores and in the everyday events of our lives.