Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection April 05, 2026

05th April 2026 (Sunday)

Psalter: Proper

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43

In those days: Peter opened his mouth and said: “You yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and caused him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Psalm 118:1-2, 16ab-17, 22-23 (R. 24)

R/. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.

Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4

Brethren: If you have been raised with Christ, seek, the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival in the Lord.

R/. Alleluia

Gospel: John 20:1-9

On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going towards the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Sunday – Easter Sunday

Main Point: The source of life is our Lord who has risen. He is unaffected by evil or death. He is the victor and conqueror.

1. The greatest example of life is Easter, a celebration of Christ’s resurrection. God is life, and our God—the Emmanuel, God-with-us—is a “living” God. He cannot be prevented from rising or from coexisting with us by the might of Satan, the bonds of death, the powers of evil, or the tomb’s closing.

2. Because he is life and always alive, he will always be with us. We are reassured and reassured by his resurrection that sin and death cannot defeat him. Evil seems to laugh loudly and mockingly at good, yet this laughter is fleeting. The last grin is lovely and of God.

3. As a result, Easter is really a day of victory. It is neither superficial nor incidental. It is not just the triumph of God over Satan, the triumph of the Savior over the Evil One, or the triumph of the Holy Spirit over the Evil Spirit. God and Evil do not settle it on a “personal score.” However, there is something vital, basic, and foundational.

4. The triumph of Easter encompasses all of creation and mankind. It impacts on the whole person, the entire life, and the entire destiny. This triumph is all-encompassing and complete. It is our collective triumph. It is our faith’s triumph.

5. It is the triumph of good over evil, love over hate, mercy over violence, benevolence over condemnation, humility over haughtiness, patience over rage, altruism over egoism, generosity over greed, sharing over accumulation, giving over grabbing, and detachment over clinging.

6. It is the triumph of virtue over weakness, forgiveness over retaliation, loyalty over betrayal, stability over instability, conviction over compromise, authenticity over deceit, integrity over cunning, truth over falsity, the spiritual over the unspiritual, the above over the below, light over darkness, and life over death.

7. As a result, we are most comforted and encouraged by the fact that God never deserts us in this triumph of God’s life over the death imposed by evil. Any forces or pressures that strangle, choke, reduce, or kill life will not be permitted by God, who came from the dead.

8. It is true that evil often seems to be more powerful than good in our society, in our times, and in our lives. While kindness and honesty appear dull, exhausting, and pointless, wickedness and insincerity seem more beneficial.

9. In certain circumstances, it is easy to believe that putting one’s confidence in God and devoting oneself to goodness is pointless. One believes that following the crowd, going with the flow, and making concessions to wicked and false ideals is better, safer, and more beneficial.

10. We must focus on the cross and the crucified Lord at those precise times. His dedication, bravery, and self-assurance throughout the fight were never in vain. It is never wasteful to have faith in God and in goodness. The good struggle is fleeting.

11. For those who walk in goodness and trust in God, there is no loss, no fall, and no defeat. The final triumph is always excellent and the work of God. Clouds will only remain in the sky for a short time. The Lord’s light beams, and the darkness will not last forever. Darkness, suffering, and Good Friday are fleeting. However, the pleasure and glory of the resurrection endure eternally.

12. As Mary Magdalene sobs at his grave, Jesus asks her, “Woman, why do you weep?” (Jn. 20.15). Yes, everyone gets asked the same question, particularly those who are depressed and hopeless: “My brother, my sister, why do you weep? What causes you to lose your heart? Do I not accompany you? Did I not walk the path of the cross for you and before you? Now, will I not go on a stroll with you? Will I not dab at your tears? To be with you forever, I woke and died for you. Live with me and have faith in me. You will have pleasure and tranquility.

13. Let the resurrected Jesus continually lift our fallen souls toward heaven and the lofty and exalted. As a result, we ask that the resurrected Christ continually raise us from the dead and elevate our lowly souls to heaven and the lofty and honorable.

My Practice: Instead of becoming “empty tombs,” let’s become “living temples.” Let us continually die to sin, rise from our condition of fall, rise from our dissipation, and live to grace. Let our everyday existence serve as a daily resurrection, offering us a taste of that ultimate resurrection.