5th Sunday of Easter Year A (2023)

Mass Readings for the 5th Sunday of Easter Year A

• First Reading – Acts 6:1-7: “As the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.”
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 33: “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.”
• Second Reading – 1 Peter 2:4-9: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, and a stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall.”
• Gospel – John 14:1-12: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Themes for the 5th Sunday of Easter Year A

The readings for the 5th Sunday of Easter Year A tell us that we are called to follow Jesus and serve him, even though we don’t know where that might lead us. The first reading tells how and why the first deacons were chosen. The psalm reminds us that God “loves justice and right”. In the second reading Peter calls the people to be “a holy priesthood”. And in the gospel Jesus tells us to have faith in him.

• Service
• Vocations
• Faith
• Jesus as the image of the Father

See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 5th Sunday of Easter Year A.

Medusa Game

The Medusa Game is a game for a group of about 8 or more teenagers. It is based on the Greek legend of Medusa. Looking at her caused people to turn to stone. Tie this in with Jesus being “the stone the builders rejected.”

Corporal Works of Mercy

The Corporal Works of Mercy are acts of charity which show our love for those on the margins. There are many ways to implement these in your family, youth ministry, or youth group. Here are some ideas.

The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Jeff Cavins explains that Thomas and Phillip both make big requests of Jesus in today’s gospel.

Temple Talk

From Bishop Robert Barron. This week’s readings all have to do with the holy temple in Jerusalem. The temple was the meeting place of divinity and humanity and was the focal point of Jewish life in Israel. We should all be living temples in our own way and bring God to the rest of the world.

The Paradox at the Heart of Christianity

From Bishop Robert Barron. Our Gospel for this weekend is taken from the 14^th chapter of the Gospel of John, which describes the farewell discourse of Jesus the night of the Last Supper. The distinctive texture of Christian faith is on particularly powerful display here.

Building His House

From Scott Hahn. By His death, Resurrection and Ascension, Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place for us in His Father’s house. His Father’s house is no longer a temple made by human hands. It is the spiritual house of the Church, built on the living stone of Christ’s body.

An Icon of the Church

Also from Bishop Barron. Our passage for today is taken from the beginning of the sixth chapter of Acts, and it concerns the Church—its growth, its unity, and its structure—in a way that is compelling for our time.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”