Mass Readings and Reflection for Tuesday April 28th 2026

First Reading: (Acts 11:19–26)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 87:1–7)

Response: “O praise the Lord, all you nations.”
The Lord loves His people, and all nations will come to know Him as their true home.

Alleluia: (John 10:27)

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

Gospel: (John 10:22–30)

Reflection:

Jesus says: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). This is not just about hearing, it is about listening.

There is a difference.

To hear is easy. It involves only the ears. We hear sounds, words, noise, and often forget them quickly.
But to listen is deeper. It engages the whole person, the mind, the heart, and the soul. When we truly listen, we understand, we remember, and we act.

Jesus is not asking us merely to hear His voice. He is calling us to listen.

An African proverb says: “The fly that refuses to listen follows the corpse to the grave.” It is a warning against stubbornness, against the refusal to accept guidance. In everyday language, we might call it “hard-headedness.”

This is the danger Christ is pointing out.

If we refuse to listen to the Shepherd, we risk becoming lost.

The world today is filled with many voices, some true, many misleading. There are voices from social media, popular opinion, culture, and personal pride. These voices compete with the voice of the Good Shepherd.

To recognize His voice, we must be:

• Quiet, free from constant noise and distraction

• Attentive, actively seeking truth

• Docile, humble and willing to be guided

Without these, we can easily follow the wrong voice.

We recall the story of Samuel (1 Samuel 3). God called him, and because he listened, he recognized the voice of the Lord. If he had ignored it, he would have missed his calling.

Jesus also chooses His words carefully, He calls us sheep, not goats.

Why?

Because sheep are known for humility, gentleness, and docility. They follow the shepherd’s lead. Goats, on the other hand, are stubborn, scattered, and difficult to guide.

This image challenges us.

Are we humble enough to be led?
Or are we stubborn, thinking we know better than the Shepherd?

In life, many fall into regret because they refused to listen, to parents, to teachers, to wise counsel, to the Church. Good advice was given, but pride stood in the way.

Even today, some trust social media more than truth. They say, “I saw it online,” as if that is authority. Yet we have the teachings of the Church, Sacred Scripture, and spiritual guidance, sources grounded in truth.

So the question becomes:
Whose voice are we listening to?

If we listen only to ourselves, we risk confusion.
If we listen to the wrong voices, we risk being misled.
But if we listen to Christ, we receive life, security, and direction.

Jesus assures us: “No one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).
This is the promise given to those who listen and follow.

But that promise requires a response.

We must choose to listen.

We must choose humility over pride, obedience over stubbornness, truth over noise.

If we are lost, it is often because we refused to listen.
If we are found, it is because we followed the voice of the Shepherd.

So today, let us pray:

• For attentive hearts

• For humble spirits

• For the grace to recognize Christ’s voice

“Speak, Lord, your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).

If we listen and follow, we will not be lost.

Amen.

Mass Reading and Reflection for Monday April 27, 2026

First Reading: (Acts 11:1–18)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 42:2–3; 43:3–4)

Response: “My soul is thirsting for you, the living God.”

Alleluia: (John 10:14)

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.

Gospel: (John 10:11–18)

Reflection:

Today, Christ reveals something both comforting and challenging: “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead” (John 10:16).

We just celebrated the Good Shepherd Sunday, where Jesus presents Himself not just as a leader, but as a shepherd who knows, protects, and sacrifices for His sheep. He does not abandon them when danger comes. He does not run like a hired hand. Instead, He lays down His life.

But today, He expands the vision.

He tells us clearly: there are other sheep, not of this fold, yet they still belong to Him.

This changes how we must see others.

Very often, we become comfortable within our own “fold”, our church, our denomination, our group. We begin to think in terms of “us” verses “them.” But Christ does not speak that way. He sees all as His own, even those not yet gathered.

The question becomes personal:

• How do we treat Christians from other denominations?

• How do we relate to people of other religions?

• Do we welcome, or do we judge?

• Do we build unity, or do we deepen division?

We live in a world where religion, instead of uniting, often divides. There are places where people are persecuted, attacked, or rejected simply because they believe differently. We also see quieter forms of division, mockery, criticism, refusal to understand one another.

Even among Christians, there can be tension. Catholic against Protestant. One denomination against another. And yet Christ says: “There will be one flock, one shepherd.”

That unity is not our creation, it is God’s desire.

The Church, through efforts like ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, tries to live this out. Not by forcing belief, but by fostering respect, understanding, and openness. True faith is never imposed, it is proposed with love.

Christ Himself models this openness. He does not reject the “other sheep.” He seeks them.

And so we must examine ourselves in everyday life:

• As parents: Do we bring all our children together, even the difficult ones?

• As leaders: Do we include everyone, or only those who agree with us?

• As teachers: Do we care for the struggling student, or only the strong?

• As individuals: Do we make space for others, or expect them to become exactly like us?

Christ does not discard. He gathers.

One of the fundamental human rights is the freedom to practice one’s religion. Yet intolerance still exists. This goes against the very heart of Christ, who came to gather, not scatter.

We spend too much time asking: Who is the true sheep? Who belongs more?
Meanwhile, the Shepherd Himself is ready to lead all.

The call today is simple but demanding:

• Be open.

• Be accommodating.

• Be respectful.

“Live and let live” is not weakness, it reflects the patience and mercy of God.

Being in a different fold does not make someone an enemy. Christ is still their Shepherd.

So instead of fighting over who belongs, let us focus on being faithful sheep wherever we are, trusting that Christ, the Good Shepherd, is capable of leading all into one flock.

Amen

The Good Shepherd Sunday Mass Readings and Reflection April 26th 2026

 

First Reading: (Acts 8:26–40)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 66:1–7)

Alleluia: (John 6:51)

Gospel: (John 6:44–51)

Reflection:

The mass readings today draw us into a single, unifying truth: God is already at work among us, continually reaching out, inviting us into deeper relationship with Him. What we see in the First Reading is not just history, it is a pattern that continues in our lives. God initiates. God calls. And together, we are faced with how we will respond.

In the Psalm, we find our shared voice. It teaches us how to stand before God, not as isolated individuals, but as a people. We are reminded that trust is something we live out together, especially when life is uncertain or difficult. The Psalm becomes our prayer, shaping how we see God and how we rely on Him.

Then in the Gospel, Christ speaks in a way that reveals both His identity and our condition. His words are clear, but they also require something from us. Some accept, others struggle, but all are invited. And that includes us, here and now.

We recognize that we are not so different from those in the Gospel. At times, we understand and believe. At other times, we hesitate, question, or hold back. Yet Christ continues to speak, continues to offer Himself, continues to call us forward.

And so the question become s one we all share:
How are we responding to Him today?

We live in a world full of noise and competing voices. It can be easy for us to lose focus, to seek meaning in things that do not truly satisfy. But the Gospel reminds us that what we are searching for is not something, it is Someone. And that Someone is Christ, who gives Himself fully to us.

Together, we are invited:

• To recognize where God is already moving in our lives

• To let go of what holds us back, as in fear, doubt, or the need for control

• To respond with faith, not just in words, but in action

Because faith is not something we hold privately, it is something we live out, together, as the Body of Christ.

Every reading we hear, every Psalm we pray, every Gospel proclaimed leads us to this shared moment of decision:
Will we follow Him more closely, together, or will we remain where we are?

And if we are honest, we know the answer is not something we give once, but something we live, day by day.

God bless you

RWJ Somerset is a Nice Facility. Very Clean and Up to Date

 

Somewhere in South Brunswick, NJ

 

Saturday Mass Readings and Reflection April 25th 2026

First Reading: (1 Peter 5:5–14) 

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 89)

Response: I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.

Alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia.
We proclaim Christ crucified; He is the power and wisdom of God.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: (Mark 16:15–20) 

Reflection

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, a key figure in the early Church and a close companion of the apostles. His Gospel reflects the preaching of St. Peter and stands as a powerful witness to the life and mission of Christ.

The message of today’s Gospel is clear and direct: “Go and preach.”

Jesus did not send the apostles out to perform miracles as their primary mission. He sent them to proclaim the truth, the truth about God, salvation, and eternal life. The focus was always on preaching. The signs came later, not as the goal, but as confirmation from God.

This is where many go wrong today.

There is a growing tendency to focus on signs, wonders, and spectacle, often without substance. But signs, by themselves, do not save. A person who does not know Christ, who does not understand the truth, cannot truly grasp the meaning of signs.

To emphasize signs without truth is dangerous. It is like giving something powerful to someone unprepared, they may misuse it or misunderstand it entirely.

The apostles understood their mission:

• Preach first

• Teach the truth

• Lead people to faith

Then God, in His own way, confirmed their message.

People need to know:

• Who God is

• What He desires for them

• How to love and forgive

• The path to salvation

Without this foundation, even the greatest signs lose their meaning.

As believers, we are called to return to the essentials:

• Seek truth

• Understand Scripture

• Grow in faith

And as for those who preach, the call is even more urgent:
Focus on the message. Let God handle the signs.

If the message is authentic, God Himself will confirm it. 

Amen 🙏 

Amen 🙏 

Plainview Hospital

 

To Janet Zaagbeb

Janet was a good friend. We laughed, we played, and we ran around together at Tangzu JSS. Then I got sick and missed a year of school. By the time I returned, she and the rest of our class had moved on, graduating from middle school, and she went on to an all-girls high school, St. Francis of Assisi in Jirapa.

She later became a nurse and worked at St. Theresa’s in Nandom. When I was home in 2019, we spoke, but unfortunately, we never got the chance to see each other.

I was deeply saddened to hear of her untimely passing. Too soon… far too soon. Way too soon.

Rest in peace, my dear friend.

Saul On His Way to Damascus

Mass Readings: First Reading: (Acts 9:1–20)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 117)

Response: Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

Alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him, says the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: (John 6:52–59)

Reflection

Today, as we celebrate St. Fidelis, we are given two powerful movements of faith: conversion and communion.

In the first reading, Saul is transformed. A man once driven by zeal against the Church becomes its greatest missionary. But notice-his personality does not disappear. His passion, his strength, his intensity remain. What changes is direction. Christ does not destroy who he is; He redirects it.

God does the same with us. He does not erase our gifts, our personalities, or even our past. He refines them, disciplines them, and aligns them with His purpose.

And yet, Saul’s transformation is not his alone.

There is Ananias, quiet, hesitant, but obedient. He plays what might seem like a small role, yet without him, Saul’s mission does not begin. This reminds us:

In God’s plan, no role is insignificant.

You may not be Paul-but you may be the Ananias in someone else’s life.

Then the Gospel takes us deeper.

Jesus speaks not of symbols, but of reality:

• “My flesh is true food”

• “My blood is true drink”

This is the heart of the Eucharist.

Life in Christ is not sustained by ideas alone, but by communion with Him. To follow Christ is not just to admire Him or even to believe in Him, it is to receive Him, to remain in Him, and to allow Him to remain in us.

• Saul is converted →his life changes direction

• He is filled →and begins to proclaim Christ

• We receive the Eucharist → and are called to live what we receive

Faith is not passive.
It transforms.
It sends.
It sustains.

Like Saul, we are called to conversion.
Like Ananias, we are called to obedience.
And through the Eucharist, we are given the strength to remain in Christ.

May we allow the Lord to shape our lives,
to use even our smallest acts,
and to nourish us with His very presence.

God bless

Mass Readings and Reflection on Thursday April 23rd, 2026

First Reading: (Acts 8:26–40)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 66)

Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.

Alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia.
Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day, says the Lord.
Alleluia.

Gospel: (John 6:44–51)

Reflection:

Yesterday, from the Gospel text, Jesus invited and exhorted us to come to Him in order to be saved, because His Father’s will is for Him to save all those who come to Him so that none will be lost. Today, He deepens that teaching by saying: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).

By this, Jesus means that salvation is not something we initiate on our own. It is a process initiated by God Himself, not by human willpower. On our own, we cannot truly know God. Even our desire for God is planted within us by Him. He reveals Himself so that we may know Him. He gives us the grace and the capacity to believe. That is why faith is a gift.

Therefore, our ability to know God, to believe in Jesus, and to be saved begins with God. It is a divine initiative. However, that divine initiative requires human cooperation, supported by grace.

Think of it this way: a gift may be given, but it can be rejected or neglected. God gives the gift of faith, but we must nurture it and allow it to grow. Jesus calls us to be open and docile to the Father so that His Spirit can move us and lead us to Him, the Savior.

Those who have not come to Jesus are not necessarily those whom the Father has refused to draw, but often those who have resisted, ignored, or mishandled the gift of faith. God always initiates, but we must respond.

How does God draw us?

He speaks within our hearts. That quiet voice of conscience that urges us to do good and avoid evil, that is God drawing us. That inner conviction, that sense of remorse when we do wrong, this too is God at work. When we listen to that voice, we are responding to His invitation.

But this divine initiative must be supported by human effort.

For example, God may give a child intelligence, but the child must go to school and apply effort for that gift to bear fruit. Without effort, the gift is wasted. In the same way, faith must be nurtured.

And how do we nurture it?

First, through our environment. The family we grow up in can either nurture faith or weaken it. Some homes are true nurseries of faith, while others suffocate it. The society we live in can also influence us, some environments support faith, others oppose it.

Second, through what we consume, what we read, watch, and listen to. Do we read Scripture? Do we engage with good Christian literature? Or do we spend most of our time on content that weakens our spiritual life? What we feed our minds shapes our faith.

Third, through the company we keep. Good friends can strengthen your faith; bad company can destroy it. The people around you influence your direction, either toward God or away from Him.

Many people lose their faith not because God stopped calling them, but because they stopped responding. They neglect prayer, avoid church, listen to false teachings, and disconnect from the source of life. Over time, spiritual dryness sets in.

A branch cut off from the tree withers. A human being cut off from God becomes spiritually lifeless, a moving corpse.

So, friends, Jesus reminds us today: salvation begins with God. Faith is His gift. But that gift must be received, protected, and nurtured.

We must examine our lives:

• What environment are we living in?

• What influences are shaping us?

• Are we cooperating with God’s grace, or resisting it?

Let us pray for the grace to allow ourselves to be drawn by the Father to Jesus Christ. Let us nurture the seed of faith through prayer, Scripture, good company, and active participation in the life of the Church.

God is always ready to plant that seed in our hearts. The question is: will we nurture it, or allow it to wither?

God bless you 🙏