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Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter

Friday April 19, 2024

Daily Mass Readings for Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter

  • First Reading - Acts 9:1-20: While traveling to Damascus to persecute more Christians, Saul was struck down by a blinding light and heard a voice saying "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" After the experience, Saul was converted to Christianity, his sight was restored, and he began to preach the Gospel, astonishing those who knew his previous reputation.
  • Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 117: A call to praise the Lord and share the Good News of His kindness and fidelity to all nations and peoples.
  • Gospel - John 6:52-59: Jesus tells a crowd of people that they must eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life, causing confusion and disbelief among the listeners. Jesus emphasizes that His flesh and blood are true food and drink, and that whoever feeds on Him will have eternal life, because He is the bread that came down from heaven.

Themes for the Daily Mass Readings for Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter

  • Conversion: The power of God's grace to transform hearts and lives is highlighted through the story of Saul's conversion in the first reading.
  • Faith: Jesus' discourse on the Eucharist in the Gospel reading emphasizes the importance of faith in Him as the source of true spiritual nourishment and eternal life.
  • The Eucharist: The central role of the Eucharist in the life of faith is a key theme, as Jesus speaks about His flesh and blood as the bread of life and the true food and drink that will bring eternal life to those who partake of it.
  • Divine intervention: Both readings showcase examples of God's divine intervention and miraculous power, from Saul's blinding light on the road to Damascus to Jesus' declaration of His own divinity and power to provide eternal life through the Eucharist.
  • The role of community: While not explicitly stated, both readings imply the importance of community in the life of faith, whether through the support of fellow believers or the need for public proclamation of the Gospel message.

Thoughts for Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter

The readings for Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter emphasize the themes of conversion, transformation, and the power of Jesus' message.

In the first reading, we hear about Saul's journey from a persecutor of Christians to becoming one of the most important figures in the early Christian church. His conversion was a dramatic event, as he was struck down by a blinding light and heard the voice of Jesus asking him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" This encounter led to a radical transformation in Saul's life, as he became a follower of Jesus and began preaching the Gospel to others.

Similarly, in the Gospel reading, we hear Jesus telling the crowd that they must eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life. This teaching was met with confusion and disbelief, as it went against the norms of the time. However, Jesus emphasized that His flesh and blood were true food and drink, and that whoever fed on Him would have eternal life.

Both of these readings remind us of the transformative power of encountering Jesus. Saul's encounter on the road to Damascus led to a complete change in his life, and Jesus' teachings in the Gospel continue to transform the lives of believers today. As Catholics, we are called to continually seek out and encounter Jesus in our lives, and to allow His message to transform us from the inside out.

May we continue to open our hearts and minds to the message of Jesus, and may we allow His transformative power to lead us on the path of holiness and conversion.

Prayer for Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter

Gracious God, may we be strengthened by the power of the Eucharist and guided by the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel message with others, so that all may come to know and experience your love. Amen.

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Homilies and Reflections for Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter

Word on Fire: Heavenly Food

A reflection for Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter from Bishop Robert Barron. "Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus declares that 'unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you.' The talk that Jesus gave concerning the sacrament of his Body and Blood was quite literally revolting." Continue reading.

USCCB Reflection: An Act of Faith

A video reflection from USCCB for Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter. The Eucharist is an invitation to faith. To recognize the body of Christ takes faith. We must see the face of Christ in our world.

Frequently Asked Questions for Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter

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