The 1st of May, 2023 is Monday in the Fourth Week of Easter. The Holy Bible verses for the mass readings for this day came from the Liturgical Calendar of the Year 2023.
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 10:11-18
From the gospel scripture according to John.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own; even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.
Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.
No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.”
Other Celebration
An optional celebration on this day is the Memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker.
