The 26th of April, 2021 is Monday in the Fourth Week of Easter. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the Year 2021 of Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: ACTS 11:1-18
The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”
But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying, “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me.
When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky.
I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’
But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’
But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’
This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.
Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me.
The Spirit told me to go with them without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house.
He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa and get Simon, who is called Peter, who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.
I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’
If then God gave to them the same gift as us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?”
When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”
Responsorial Psalm: PS 42:1-2; 43:3, 4
Response: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
R: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Oh, send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill, to your tents.
R: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy. I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.
R: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Gospel of the Day: JN 10:1-10
From the gospel scripture according to John.
“Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber.
But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.”
Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them.
Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.
I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture.
The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.”
