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Good Friday Mass Readings and Reflection April 3rd 2026

First Reading: Isaiah (52:13-53:12)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 31)

Response: Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Second Reading: (Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:7–9)

Gospel: (John 18:1-19:42)

Reflection: Jesus is dead. Look at the cross on which He hangs.

Good Friday is a tale of love, not just any love, but true love.

Look at Him: bruised, battered, mocked, and broken. Blood flows from His body. The innocent one accepts guilt to save the guilty. He who had no sin allows Himself to be called a sinner, to save sinners.

He becomes the ransom.
He pays the price.
He dies the death that was ours.

If you want to understand love, do not look to words, look at the Cross.

There hangs Jesus Christ, giving His life so that we might live. Accepting punishment that was ours. This is love in its purest form.

The world falls silent. Darkness covers the land. And still, He loves.

Pause again… and look at the Cross.

What do you see?

It should have been you.
It should have been me.
But He takes our place.

On Holy Thursday, He said:
"This is my body, given up for you."

Now on Good Friday, that body is broken on the Cross.

The question is:
Can we love Him in return?
Can we give ourselves fully, without reserve?

This is why it is called Good Friday.
Not because suffering is good, but because love made it good.

Even in His agony, Jesus forgives:
"Father, forgive them; they know not what they do."

He forgives those who crucified Him.
He forgives those who abandoned Him.
He even loves Judas Iscariot to the very end.

He knows our weakness, our sin, our brokenness, yet He does not abandon us.

He stoops down to wash feet.
He lowers Himself to touch our filth.
And today, He dies for us.

Dear people of God, let this not be just a story.
Let it transform you.

One day, we too shall die.

Life is fleeting. Titles, pride, possessions, they mean nothing in the face of death. Even Christ died, who then are we?

So learn to forgive.
Let go.
Be good.
Live rightly, now.

Each time we choose sin, we nail Him to the Cross again.
Each time we reject love, we wound Him again.

What use is His death for us if we continue to crucify Him by our lives?

And yet, He still offers mercy.

Amen.

God bless you.

The Stations of the Cross by Alphonsus Liguori

Stations of the Cross:

My Lord Jesus Christ, you have made this journey to die for me with unspeakable love, and I have so many times ungratefully abandoned you.
But now I love you with all my heart, and because I love you, I am sincerely sorry for ever having offended you.

Pardon me, my God, and permit me to accompany you on this journey.
You go to die for love of me-I want, my beloved Redeemer, to die for love of you.

My Jesus, I will live and die always united to you.

First Station: Pilate Condemns Jesus to Die

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

Consider how Jesus Christ, after being scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the cross.

Key reflection:
It was not Pilate-but my sins-that condemned you.

Prayer:
My adorable Jesus, I beseech you by the merits of this sorrowful journey to assist my soul on its journey to eternity.
I love you more than myself. I repent of ever having offended you.
Grant that I may love you always-and then do with me as you will.

Second Station: Jesus Accepts His Cross

We adore you, O Christ…

Consider Jesus walking with the cross, thinking of us and offering His suffering for us.

Key reflection:
Embrace your crosses with peace and resignation.

Prayer:
My beloved Jesus, I embrace all the sufferings you have destined for me.
Help me carry my cross with your strength.
Never let me be separated from you again.

Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time

We adore you, O Christ…

Jesus, weakened from suffering, falls under the weight of the cross.

Key reflection:
It is the weight of my sins that caused your fall.

Prayer:
By the merits of this fall, save me from falling into mortal sin.
Grant that I may never offend you again.

Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Mother

We adore you, O Christ…

Jesus meets His sorrowful Mother. Their shared suffering pierces their hearts.

Key reflection:
True love shares in suffering.

Prayer:
Grant me devotion to your Holy Mother.
May I always remember your Passion with love and sorrow.

Fifth Station: Simon Helps Carry the Cross

We adore you, O Christ…

Simon is forced to help Jesus carry the cross.

Key reflection:
Accept your cross willingly-not reluctantly.

Prayer:
I accept the cross destined for me and unite it to yours.
Help me to carry it faithfully until death.

Sixth Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

We adore you, O Christ…

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus, and His image is left on her veil.

Key reflection:
Sin disfigures the soul, but Christ restores it.

Prayer:
My soul was once beautiful through your grace-restore it again.
Cleanse me by your Passion.

Seventh Station: Jesus Falls the Second Time

We adore you, O Christ…

Jesus falls again, renewing His suffering.

Key reflection:
Falling is human, but perseverance is grace.

Prayer:
Grant me the strength to persevere in your love until death.
In every temptation, may I turn to you.

Eighth Station: Jesus Speaks to the Women

We adore you, O Christ…

Jesus tells the weeping women to weep for themselves and their children.

Key reflection:
True sorrow is for sin, not just suffering.

Prayer:
I weep for my sins because they offend you, whom I love.
Let love, not fear, guide my repentance.

Ninth Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time

We adore you, O Christ…

Jesus falls a third time, completely exhausted.

Key reflection:
Even in weakness, Christ continues forward.

Prayer:
Give me strength to overcome my passions and remain faithful to you.

Tenth Station: Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments

We adore you, O Christ…

Jesus is stripped, and His wounds are reopened.

Key reflection:
Detach from worldly attachments.

Prayer:
Help me strip away all attachment to earthly things and love only you.

Eleventh Station: Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross

We adore you, O Christ…

Jesus is nailed to the cross and offers His life.

Key reflection:
Love is sacrifice.

Prayer:
Nail my heart to your cross, that I may never leave you.

Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross

We adore you, O Christ…

After three hours of agony, Jesus dies.

Key reflection:
His death is my hope.

Prayer:
By your death, grant me the grace to die in your love and surrender my soul to you.

Thirteenth Station: Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross

We adore you, O Christ…

Jesus is placed in the arms of His sorrowful Mother.

Key reflection:
Remain close to Mary in suffering.

Prayer:
O Mother of Sorrows, pray for me.
Let me love your Son above all things.

Fourteenth Station: Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb

We adore you, O Christ…

Jesus is laid in the tomb.

Key reflection:
Death is not the end, resurrection is the promise.

Prayer:
By your resurrection, raise me to eternal life with you.

Final Prayer to Jesus Crucified

My good and dear Jesus, I kneel before you, asking you most earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins and a firm resolve to make amends.

As I reflect upon your five wounds and dwell upon them with deep compassion and grief, I recall the words of the prophet David:

“They have pierced my hands and my feet; they have numbered all my bones.”

"The Queen of Deflection Departs” Pam Bondi is Out

"The Dow is up 50,000". Not so much these days. And that was the AG, Pam Bondi.

Breaking news: she has just been fired by the president, Donald Trump.

With all the flip-flops and the deflection, it was clear she wouldn't be at that post for long. 

It will be interesting to see who succeeds her.

The “Queen of Deflection.” Maybe, when she goes back home to Florida, she can write us a memoir about her time at the White House-as the chief law enforcement officer.

Welcome home, Pam.

A War That Won’t End Quickly

Yesterday, most Americans tuned in for the President’s prime-time address to the nation about the ongoing war in Iran. Many watched with the expectation that the war would be winding down. That was not the case.

I tried watching the address myself-more than once-and couldn’t get through it. Lately, I find it very difficult to watch the President speak at all. That’s strange for me; I’ve never had this reaction to any world leader, not even Bibi. I literally feel discomfort in my ears when I hear him talk. Part of that is because he can barely finish a sentence without mixing outright falsehoods with traces of truth. It’s exhausting.

Still, one statement stuck with me during the first few minutes I managed to endure. He said that America doesn’t need Iranian oil because we are energy-independent here at home. That might be technically true, but it ignores a critical reality: the countries that depend on Iranian oil are also vital to Americans’ everyday survival.

China is the world’s factory. Much of what we use in this country is manufactured abroad,particularly in China, India, and Japan, all nations reliant on overseas energy supplies. The President surely knows this. So why make that statement? What purpose does it serve?

And why is America still locked in a war of attrition? Why are ordinary people sending their kids to go and die for a war that will not benefit them? These and other questions are worth pondering.

If anyone expected the U.S. to enter this war and be out in a week or two, that expectation reflects weak and lazy reasoning. We were told the war was instigated by our ally Israel, and that the U.S. joined in. Israel’s prime minister, Bibi of Israel, has been pushing for confrontation with Iran for over three decades, and now it has finally arrived. His wishes have come through, and now the agenda has to be served.

To the ordinary mind, Iran cannot have nukes, that has always been the claim. Well, nukes are dangerous, and responsible states should have them. But what are their purposes to begin with? To deter adversaries. Russia is alleged to be the number one nation on earth with the most nukes, and the U.S. second. These weapons are expensive to make and require serious technical skill to develop. Israel has never fully declared they have them, but multiple sources believe they possess over 300 of warheads. As you can tell, nobody knows exactly how many they are. In fact it's not publicly confirmed that they have have them. They are not part of the nonproliferation agreement. What if Iran already have nukes by other means? It's a secret nations can keep. Will that be a mutually assured destruction (MAD)? 

We have to be careful. 

And the point here is that any country in the 21st century concerned with its survival believes it must possess these weapons. Say what you will about North Korea, they are a nuclear-armed nation. When was the last time you heard anybody trying to attack them?

We believe we have come a long way as a civilization. Why can’t we use diplomacy to solve our problems, but instead fuss and fight, kill and maim? I am not naive; I do know a thing or two.

So if the war is going on longer than expected, that is by design. It feels eerily similar to the “two weeks to flatten the curve” narrative during COVID, a short-term promise that stretched into months and then years.

There are a few observations here worth sitting with, especially for those paying attention. People should get their affairs in order. If anything, we are cooked. This is not a joke.

Have a great day.
-Pal Ronnie

Mass Reading for Holy Thursday April 2nd 2026

First Reading: (Exodus 12:1–14)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 116)

Response:

“The cup of blessing that we bless is a sharing in the blood of Christ.”

Second Reading: Corinthians (11:23–26)

Gospel: (John 13:1–15)

REFLECTION 

In Jesus’ time, as most people walked with bare feet, the servant or slave of the house would wash the feet of visitors. But Jesus turns this around, He becomes the servant of all by washing the feet of His disciples.

This is our Easter journey:
to become servants of others.

As we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection, we are reminded that true greatness is found in humility and service.

In the second reading, Saint Paul recalls the institution of the Eucharist, the bread becoming the Body of Christ and the wine becoming the Blood of Christ. This is what we receive regularly, and through it, we are transformed.

The more we receive the Eucharist, the more we become like Christ, the more we become people for others.

In the first reading from Exodus, we hear about the Passover, the marking of homes with the blood of the lamb as a sign of belonging to God.

Today, we also bear a sign:

• We carry a crucifix

• We make the sign of the cross

• We live as witnesses

 We belong to God.

We are called not to hide our faith, but to live it openly:

• In public

• In our homes

• Even in simple acts like blessing our food

As we prayed in the psalm:

“The cup of blessing that we bless is a sharing in the blood of Christ.”

We are called to share in Christ’s life and to reflect Him in our families and communities.

This is a journey, a journey back to Christ for those who have drifted away, and a deeper journey for those seeking Him.

As we enter the Triduum, we renew our faith:

• In the Eucharist

• In service

• In the Resurrection

We are a Eucharistic people.
We are called to live what we receive.

Amen.

God bless you 🙏 

Sunrise: A View from the Garage 5th Floor @SRC.YALE

 

Mass Reading and Reflection April 1st, 2026

First Reading: (Isaiah 50:4–9)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 69)

Response:

“In your great mercy, answer me, O God, in the time of your favor.”

Gospel: (Matthew 26:14–25)

(Judas’ betrayal and the preparation for the Passion of Christ)

Reflection:

No one enjoys suffering, especially innocent suffering. When we suffer because of our own actions, we can at least understand why. But when we are falsely accused, misunderstood, or hurt for no reason, it cuts deeper.

Our natural reaction is to:

• Defend ourselves loudly

• Prove our innocence

• Return insult for insult

• Curse those who hurt us

But today’s first reading presents a different response-a divine response.

The Tongue of a Disciple

The prophet describes a servant who suffers unjustly, yet responds not with anger, but with discipline and trust in God:

• He does not rebel

• He does not retaliate

• He does not curse

• He remains silent or prayerful

This is the tongue of Christ.

Christ as the Perfect Example

Think of Jesus:

• He was insulted

• Beaten

• Spat upon

• Crucified

Yet what did He say?

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

No curses.
No revenge.
Only prayer and mercy.

Where Does This Strength Come From?

Not from weakness.
Not from lack of pain.

It comes from trust in God.

As Isaiah says:

• “The Lord God helps me”

• “He who vindicates me is near”

The servant endures because he knows:

God defends the innocent.

Application to Our Lives

When people:

• Misjudge us

• Accuse us falsely you 

• Speak against us 

Ask yourself:

• Do I respond with anger?

• Do I repay evil for evil?

• Or do I respond like Christ?

Spiritual Instruction

We are called to:

• Return insult with blessing

• Replace curses with prayer

• Trust God as our defender

As Jesus teaches:

“Pray for your enemies and do good to those who hate you.”

Key Insight

We remain calm not because:

• We feel no pain

• We are weak

But because:

We know God is fighting for us.

Amen.

Tuesday of Holy Week – Mass Readings and Reflection March 31, 2026

First Reading: (Isaiah 49:1–6)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 71)

Response: “My mouth will tell of your salvation, Lord.”

Gospel: (John 13:21–33, 36–38)

Gospel Proclamation

At that time, Jesus, reclining with His disciples, was troubled in spirit and testified:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”

Reflection: 

Today’s Gospel centers on a single act that leads Jesus to His Passion.

What is Betrayal?

Betrayal is the violation of trust and confidence.
It is:

• A break of loyalty

• The exposure of what was meant to be kept in love

• A wound inflicted by someone close

Betrayal is painful.

Yes, Jesus was destined to die, but did it have to be through betrayal?
Judas was not forced. He had a choice. And yet, he chose to betray.

The Pain of Betrayal

What makes it more painful is this:

It came from within.

“One of you will betray Me, one who has eaten with Me.”

The enemies of Jesus needed information. They did not know His movements. They needed an insider.

Judas chose to be that insider.

As Scripture echoes:

“If an enemy had insulted me, I could bear it… but it was you, my companion, my close friend.” (cf. Psalm 55:12)

The Kiss of Betrayal

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.

• A kiss: a symbol of love

• Yet used as a tool of deception

What should express love became a weapon.

The Root of Betrayal

Something always leads us to betray.

For Judas, it was:

• The love of money

But for us, it can be:

• Desire for power

• Bodily pleasure

• Fear of authority

• The need to fit in

Every betrayal begins with a disordered appetite.

Not Just Judas…

Judas was not alone.

• Peter betrayed Jesus by denying Him

• The apostles fled in fear

They all failed in loyalty.

And What About Us?

Before we condemn Judas or Peter, we must look inward.

We betray Jesus when:

• We deny the truth

• We live contrary to our faith

• We choose sin over Him

• We fail our baptismal promises

We once said:

“I will follow You.”

Yet often, like Peter:

We deny Him in our actions.

A Surprising Mercy

And yet, this is powerful,

Even knowing Judas would betray Him,
Jesus still offered him friendship.

“The one to whom I give this morsel…”

Even at the edge of betrayal,
grace was still being offered.

Final Prayer

Dear Lord,
Many times, we too have betrayed You.
Many times, we have not been loyal to Your friendship.

We ask for Your mercy.

As we journey deeper into Holy Week:

• Help us to be faithful

• Help us to be loyal

• Help us not to make empty promises

But to truly follow You, even to the cross.

Amen.

Long Live the King