Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection April 14, 2026

14th April 2026 (Tuesday)

Psalter: Week 2

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Acts 4:32-37

The full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Psalm 93:1abc, 1d-2, 5 (R. 1a)

R/. The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. The Son of Man must be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

R/. Alleluia

Gospel: John 3:7b-15

At that time: Jesus said to Nicodemus, ‘You must be born anew.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Tuesday – 2nd Week of Easter

Main Point: When the interior freedom is not there, the exterior freedom can easily become deviant and even pernicious

1. Freedom is one of the greatest assets of a human being. But today more than ever, this freedom is misunderstood. It is wrongly equated with indulgence and pleasurability. Thus, very often freedom becomes destructive.

2. This is truly false freedom because it is not positive or productive. Further, instead of freeing the person, it only enslaves the person, with subtle and unconscious bondages. It is this false freedom that enslaves many to greed and accumulation and leads many to gratify themselves in compromises and false values.

3. In other words, the lack of inner freedom leads one to undue craving and attachment to money and material possessions. Detachment and true freedom go together. The apostles obtained, nurtured and manifested this true freedom, the freedom of the Spirit.

4. This is the productive freedom that makes the early Christian community deeply detached from worldly possessions. This is the altruistic freedom that shares generously with the needy. This is the constructive freedom that builds a community with one heart and mission.

5. This is the transcending freedom that makes each of them a living testimony to the risen Lord. Selling off the properties in the spirit of detachment and distributing them in generosity are the hallmarks of true disciples of Christ and a true Christian community.

6. This model of the early Christians and their community is really edifying, inspiring and worth imitating. This is also a great challenge for many modern followers of Christ and Christian communities, which are far from these ideals. A good number are deeply engrossed in a suffocating spirit of greed and accumulation, deceit and manipulation.

My Practice: Let us raise our level and perspective of thinking and living from the merely earthly to the heavenly and above. Otherwise, we cannot enjoy the freedom, the joy and the power of the Spirit and the life of God