Daily Mass Readings: Saturday April 25, 2020

2nd Week of Easter
Vestment: Red
Today’s Rosary: The Joyful Mysteries

SAINT MARK, Evangelist (Feast)

Mark, or John Mark, was intimately associated with the spreading of the faith, and the development of the early Church. Bonn in Jerusalem, he accompanied Barnabas, Paul and Peter in their apostolic journeys. According to an ancient tradition, Mark’s Gospel reflects the preaching of Peter. Considered founder of the Church in Alexandria of Egypt, Mark is specially honoured by the Coptic Christians of that country. His contribution to the establishment of the Church in Africa cannot be underestimated and today we give thanks to God for the gift of faith we have received through Saint Mark.

Entrance Antiphon Mk 16:15
Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel to every creature, alleluia.

Collect
O God, who raised up Saint Mark, your Evangelist, and endowed him with the grace to preach the Gospel, grant, we pray, that we may so profit from his teaching, as to follow faithfully in the foot- steps of Christ. Who lives and reigns with you. . .

FIRST READING
My son, Mark, sends you greetings.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Peter (1 Peter 5 :5b-14)

Beloved: Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility towards one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you. Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you. To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God; stand fast in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you that are in Christ.

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL  PSALM Psalm89:2-3.6-7.16-17 (R. see 2a)
R/. I will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord.
Or: Alleluia.

I will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord,
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your fidelity.
I have declared your mercy is established for ever;
your fidelity stands firm as the heavens. R/.

The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your fidelity in the assembly of your holy ones.
For who in the skies can compare with the Lord,
or who is like the Lord among the heavenly powers? R/.

How blessed the people who know your praise,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
who find their joy every day in your name,
who make your justice their joyful acclaim. R/.

ALLELUIA 1 Corinthians 1:23a-24b
Alleluia. We preach Christ crucified; the power of God and the wisdom of God. Alleluia.

GOSPEL
“Preach the Gospel to the whole creation. ”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark  (Mark 16:15-20)

At that time: [Appearing to the Eleven,] Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he Who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them 8nd confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Today’s Reflection

Saint Teresa of Avila postulates three prerequisites to spiritual life: Humility, detachment and love. She asserts that “humility situates persons within the realm of right relationships. They are in a place of truth before themselves and before God.” Today’s first Reading exalts this virtue as necessary in our relationship with God. God rewards the humble. Humility does not mean self-depreciation. It is a recognition that all we are and have comes from God. A saint once said that all is grace. If this is our attitude to life, we shall live in peace with one another and enrich one another with the gifts of ourselves. Jesus commissions us to go out and bring his message to everyone, while manifesting the signs of believers, speaking in tongues of love and charity.

Personal Devotiional

– Lord, I praise you for your salvation and the fellowship of your people. Show me who I can pray for and invite to know you. Amen.

– Pray against the spirit of rejecting divine engagements.

Let Us Pray
Prayer to my guardian angel
O angel of God, my guardian dear. To whom God’s love commits me here. Ever this day or night be at my side. To light, to guard, to rule and guide.

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