Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection April 28, 2026

28th April 2026 (Tuesday)

Psalter: Week 4

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Acts 11:19-26

In those days: Those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

Psalm 87:1-3, 4-5, 6-7 (Psalm 117:1a)

R/. O praise the Lord, all you nations

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord, and I know them, and they follow me.

R/. Alleluia

Gospel: John 10:22-30

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Tuesday – 4th Week of Easter

Main Point: True belonging to the Lord is not determined by human lineage or religious entitlement, but by the profound docility to hear His voice and the steadfast loyalty to follow His path.

1. In the Gospel today, the Jewish authorities surround Jesus and demand, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” They feign ignorance, acting as though Jesus has deliberately hidden His true identity from them.

2. But there is absolutely no suspense or mystery. Jesus responds, “I told you, and you do not believe.” His profound works of mercy, His miraculous healings, and His authoritative preaching were undeniable testimonies of His divinity. The real issue is not a lack of evidence, but a lack of reverence. They are completely blinded by their own stubborn pride and prejudice.

3. Jesus explicitly diagnoses their spiritual disease: “You do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.” To be a sheep of the Good Shepherd requires a disposition of profound humility. It requires one to relinquish worldly arrogance and submit entirely to the divine will. The religious authorities stubbornly refuse to become sheep, preferring instead to remain lords of their own manufactured kingdoms.

4. In sharp contrast, we witness the beautiful docility of the Gentiles in Antioch in the first reading. They were considered absolute outsiders, lacking the long religious pedigree and the meticulous legal traditions of the Jews. Yet, when the scattered disciples preach the Word to them, they receive it with magnificent openness.

5. The hand of the Lord is with them, and a great number turn to the faith. When Barnabas arrives, he does not see a rigid adherence to legalistic rituals; rather, he sees “the grace of God” and rejoices. He encourages them to remain faithful to the Lord in absolute firmness of heart. Because of this spiritual fecundity, he brings Saul to assist, and together they teach a large multitude.

6. It is no coincidence that it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.” This noble title was not merely a demographic category or a label of convenience. It was an identity of consequence, forged through a living, breathing communion with Christ. They lived the life of the Shepherd so vividly, and mirrored His charity so authentically, that the secular world could not help but name them after Him.

7. We must sincerely evaluate our own discipleship: Do we resemble the stubborn authorities in Jerusalem, or the receptive disciples in Antioch? We often demand that God prove Himself to us, asking Him to remove our “suspense” with dramatic signs, while completely ignoring the quiet, daily promptings of His sanctifying grace.

My Practice: Being called a Christian is a supreme dignity, but it demands a supreme fidelity. Let us not demand further proofs from God to satisfy our worldly curiosity. Instead, let us cultivate the docility to hear His voice, the humility to remain in His fold, and the courage to radiate an authentic Christian witness.