March 28, 2024 — Holy Thursday — I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another as I have loved you — Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John (Jn 13: 1-15)

March 27, 2024 — Wednesday of Holy Week — Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father; you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter — Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthieu (Mt 26: 14-25)

First Reading

Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4: 13-21)

We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

Observing the boldness of Peter and John
and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men,
the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed,
and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus.
Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them,
they could say nothing in reply.
So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin,
and conferred with one another, saying,

“What are we to do with these men?
Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign
was done through them, and we cannot deny it.
But so that it may not be spread any further among the people,
let us give them a stern warning
never again to speak to anyone in this name.”

So they called them back
and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,

“Whether it is right in the sight of God
for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.
It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”

After threatening them further,
they released them,
finding no way to punish them,
on account of the people who were all praising God
for what had happened.

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

(Ps 118: 1 and 14-15ab, 16-18, 19-21)

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just.

“The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the LORD has struck with power.”
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
Though the LORD has indeed chastised me,
yet he has not delivered me to death.

Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark (Mk 16: 9-15)

Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had driven seven demons.
She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping.
When they heard that he was alive
and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

After this he appeared in another form
to two of them walking along on their way to the country.
They returned and told the others;
but they did not believe them either.

But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them
and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart
because they had not believed those
who saw him after he had been raised.
He said to them,

“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

— The Gospel of the Lord.

First Reading

Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4: 1-12)

There is no other name by which we must be saved.

After the crippled man had been cured,
while Peter and John were still speaking to the people,
the priests, the captain of the temple guard,
and the Sadducees confronted them,
disturbed that they were teaching the people
and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
They laid hands on Peter and John
and put them in custody until the next day,
since it was already evening.
But many of those who heard the word came to believe
and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes
were assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest,
Caiaphas, John, Alexander,
and all who were of the high-priestly class.
They brought them into their presence and questioned them,

“By what power or by what name have you done this?”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them,

“Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,
which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

(Ps 118: 1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a)

The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.

O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John (Jn 21: 1-14)

Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee's sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them,

“I am going fishing.”

They said to him,

“We also will come with you.”

So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them,

“Children, have you caught anything to eat?”

They answered him,

“No.”

So he said to them,

“Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something.”

So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter,

“It is the Lord.”

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them,

“Bring some of the fish you just caught.”

So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them,

“Come, have breakfast.”

And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.

— The Gospel of the Lord.

Diocese of Miarinarivo

Pope Francis has accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the Diocese of Miarinarivo, presented by H.E. Mgr Jean Claude Randrianarisoa. At the same time, the Supreme Pontiff has appointed H.E. Mgr Marie Fabien Raharilamboniaina, as Apostolic Admnistrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the same Diocese.

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Love and Salvation

Christmas is a great joy, because it is the love of God that has come to us, proclaims Fr. Bizimana Innocent, Provincial Superior of the Salesians Don Bosco of Madagascar and Mauritius, presenting his Christmas greetings. Salvation is accomplished, so life is not in danger of disappearing. It is this love and this salvation that we wish to fill our life so that we have peace.

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Zatti, our brother

The short film "Zatti, our brother" (Argentina, 2020) focuses on one of the most difficult episodes of his life. We are in Viedma, in 1941: at the age of 60, Zatti is forced to leave the hospital he has attended for decades. His faith and strength are tested.

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