First Reading – Acts of the Apostles 10: 25-26, 34-35, 44-48 (58B)

Peter entered the house of Cornelius ad proclaimed the good news to his household. They listened and believed, so Peter had them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Second Reading – 1 John 4: 7-10

John wrote, “Let us love one another, because love is of God.” The person without love know nothing of God because God is Love.

Gospel – John 15: 9-17

Jesus told his disciples, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” There is no greater love than this: “to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Reflection of the Week

Today’s scripture readings are all about love – love of God and love of neighbor.“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God,” the second reading tells us. And in the gospel, Jesus Himself commands us, “As the Father has loved me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. …This I command you: love one another.” Our lives as Christian disciples simply must be founded in and formed by love. Love is the basis and the driving force of the stewardship way of life. Because God loved us, He has given us His only Son as the gospel reminds us today. In addition, He has given each one of us innumerable other gifts, solely because He loves us. So, in love of Him, we use those gift for His greater glory. We follow His example, and give of ourselves – offering our time, talent, and treasure in loving service of our neighbor. As Christian disciples and stewards of God’s many gifts, we live lives of love.

First Reading – Acts of the Apostles 9: 26-31 (53B)

Saul went back to Jerusalem, but the disciples were afraid of him. Barnabas told them how the Lord had conversed with Saul and how he had suffered in the name of Jesus.

Second Reading – 1 John 3: 18-24

“Let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” If our hearts do not condemn us, we can have confidence that God will grant our requests.

Gospel – John 15: 1-8

Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.” Everyone else “will be thrown out like a branch and wither.”

Reflection of the Week

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us “Remain in me as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine. So, neither can you unless you remain in me… Apart from me, you can do nothing.”
As Christian disciples, we are called to serve the Lord with our whole lives. We are called to give of ourselves out of love — particularly love of God. That is what the Christian life is all about. We are to follow Christ’s example of selflessly giving in love of others (look to the crucifix). But surely we cannot do this alone. It is an extraordinary calling, and we must be firmly rooted in Christ, intimately united to Him, in order for us to truly live out the selfless service of Christian discipleship. This means that while we focus of giving our talent and treasure in service of one another, we have to make it a priority to give of our time — to spend time with the Lord in prayer, to celebrate the sacraments regularly, to strengthen our relationship with Jesus Christ, the One we follow, the One who is the reason we live discipleship through stewardship in the first place. We need intimate relationships with Him. He gives us the grace and the strength we need to live the life of a Christian disciple. We must stay focused on Him — all the time!

First Reading – Acts of the Apostles 4: 8 – 12 (50B)

Peter explained to the people that every good deed and all restoration to health are accomplished in the name of Christ Jesus the Nazorean, through whom all are saved.

Second Reading – 1 John 3: 1 – 2

Believers are the dearly beloved children of God who do not yet know what shall come to light. When it does come to light, believers will be like God.

Gospel – John 10: 14

Jesus is the good shepherd who knows the sheep. The Good Shepherd not only loves and protects the sheep but is willing to lay down his life for the sheep.

Reflection of the Week

In today’s gospel reading, we hear Jesus call Himself the Good Shepherd. He loves and cares for us like a shepherd cares for His sheep — taking care of their every need and leading them along the right path. In fact, so much does He care for us, that Jesus says, “I would lay down my life for my sheep.”

Of course, we know that He did in fact do that. We just celebrated the paschal mystery, in which Jesus gave himself up to death for our sake. And as we continue to celebrate the Easter Season and rejoice in His glorious redirection, we recognize that Christ’s loving care for us extends to today. He is actively involved in the life of the Church, providing for all of our needs and guiding us along our way.

In response to Christ’s life-giving love, it is our responsibility as His disciples to give ourselves to Him. We offer Him our time, talent, and treasure — truly, we offer Him our whole lives in thanksgiving for all He has done for us. As His disciples, it is our calling, our responsibility to use our lives for His greater glory. Everything we do —at home, at school, at work, and elsewhere — should glorify the Good Shepherd and call others to believe in His loving care.

Saturday, April 21nd – Diocesan Youth Day at Douglaston, 10am-4pm (call Slyvia for more info)

Thursday, April 26th – Our Lady of Refuge at St. Rose of Lima (call Fr. Perry or Slyvia for time)

Sunday, April 22nd – English breaking bread fellowship after the 11.30am English mass ; Come share a cup of coffee or a bagel with some of the english speaking community

Saturday, May 5th – 1000 Aves /1000 Hail Marys in the chapel after 9am Mass ending at 3pm

Sunday, May 6th – 3rd Annual Health Fair – Blood pressure, diabetes, mammogram screenings and more ; Please call the office to sign up for their mammogram screenings

Thursday, May 17th – Ascension of the Lord, Mass at 7am and 9am in the chapel. And a tri-lingual Mass in the church at 7.30pm

First Reading – Acts of the Apostles 3: 13-15, 17-19 (47B)

Peter said to the people, “The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead.” God brought to fulfillment what the prophets announced long ago: that the Messiah would suffer.

Second Reading – 1 John 4: 2, 4, 7-8, 9

John told believers that Christ Jesus is a just intercessor who offers sacrifice for the sin of the whole world and that a person cannot know Jesus without keeping his commands.

Gospel – Luke 24: 35-48

The risen Christ appeared to the disciples and said, “Peace be with you.” The Lord ate cooked fish in their presence and discussed the law, prophets and psalms with them, opening their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Reflection of the Week

Today we celebrate the third Sunday of Easter, and the readings today highlight for us the redemptive nature of the cross and the joy of the resurrection.
In the first reading, we hear Peter tell his audience, “The author of life you put to death, but God raised Him from the dead. Of this we are witnesses.”

Christ had to die in order to rise from the dead, but we see in His resurrection that God’s plans are greater than any we can imagine. So, as His disciples and stewards of His many gifts, we give ourselves to Him as His servants know at all time – in joy and in suffering – His plans far outweigh our own. We are His disciples, and in giving Him ourselves, we ask Him to do with us what He will.