The 4th of April, 2024 is Thursday in the Octave of Easter. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the Year 2024 of Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: ACTS 3:11-26
The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.
When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, “You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.
But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, to which we are witnesses.
By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”
“Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.”
“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send Christ Jesus, who was ordained for you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets.
For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.
It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, also told of these days.
You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘All the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring.’
God, having raised up his servant Jesus, sent him to you first to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your wickedness.”
Responsorial Psalm: PS 8:1AB and 4, 5-6, 7-8
Response: Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
What is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him?
R: Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor.
You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet.
R: Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
All sheep and cattle, yes, and the animals of the field, the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
R: Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Sequence (Optional): "Victimae paschali laudes" (Paschal Victim)
Christians, to the paschal victim offer your thankful praises–a lamb the sheep redeeming, Christ, who only is sinless, reconciling sinners to the Father. Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous; the prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring what you saw when wayfaring. “The tomb of Christ, who is living, the glory of Jesus’ resurrection; bright angels attesting, the shroud and napkin resting. My Lord, my hope, is arisen; to Galilee he will go before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining. Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning! Amen.
Gospel of the Day: LK 24:35-48
From the gospel verse according to Luke.
They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
As they said these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”
But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts?
See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they still didn’t believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
He took them, and ate in front of them.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms concerning me must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.
He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.”