FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2021
“I look at him and he looks at me!” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2715) It is like this: loving contemplation, typical of the most intimate prayer, does not need many words. A gaze is enough. It is enough to be convinced that our life is surrounded by an immense and faithful love that nothing can ever separate us from. Jesus was a master of this gaze. His life never lacked the time, space, silence, the loving communion that allows one’s existence not to be devastated by the inevitable trials, but to maintain beauty intact. His secret was His relationship with His heavenly Father.”
Pope Francis

Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
Psalm 113
The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.

Praise, you servants of the LORD,
    praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
    both now and forever.
The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.

From the rising to the setting of the sun
    is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
    above the heavens is his glory.
The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.

Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
    and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.

He raises up the lowly from the dust;
    from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
To seat them with princes,
    with the princes of his own people.
The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.

---

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021
“We can contemplate by gazing at the sun that rises in the morning, or at the trees that deck themselves out in spring green; we can contemplate by listening to music or to the sounds of the birds, reading a book, gazing at a work of art or at that masterpiece that is the human face…. First of all to contemplate is not a way of doing, but a way of being. To be contemplative. And being contemplative does not depend on the eyes, but on the heart.”
Pope Francis

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
Psalm 47
God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
    shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
    is the great king over all the earth.
God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:  a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
    the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
    sing praise to our king, sing praise.
God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:  a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
r king of all the earth is God;
    sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
    God sits upon his holy throne.
God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:  a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

---

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2021
“The Lord wants to tell us that before the observance of His commandments, before the beatitudes, before works of mercy, it is necessary to be united to Him, to abide in Him. We cannot be good Christians if we do not abide in Jesus… The fruitfulness of our life depends on prayer… Let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. She always remained completely united to Jesus and bore much fruit. May she help us abide in Christ, in His love, in His word, to bear witness to the Risen Lord in the world.”
Pope Francis

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Psalm 148
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Praise the LORD from the heavens;
    praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you his angels;
    praise him, all you his hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
    the princes and all the judges of the earth,
Young men too, and maidens,
    old men and boys.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Praise the name of the LORD,
    for his name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

He has lifted up the horn of his people;
Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,
    from the children of Israel, the people close to him. 
    Alleluia.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

---

TUESDAY, MAY 11, 2021
“Every moment of Jesus’ earthly life, through the grace of prayer, can become immediate to us, thanks to the Holy Spirit… And thanks to the Holy Spirit, we too are present at the River Jordan when Jesus immerses himself to receive baptism. We too are guests at the wedding at Cana, when Jesus gives the best wine for the happiness of the couple, that is, it is the Holy Spirit who connects us with these mysteries of the life of Christ because in contemplation of Jesus we experience prayer, to join us more closely to Him.”
Pope Francis

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Psalm 138
Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
    for you have heard the words of my mouth;
    in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple,
    and give thanks to your name.
Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

Because of your kindness and your truth,
    you have made great above all things
    your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
    you built up strength within me.
Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
    your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
    forsake not the work of your hands.
Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

---

MONDAY, MAY 10, 2021
“My thoughts turn to the elderly, to young people, to the sick and to newlyweds. May you be courageous witnesses of the Risen Christ who shows his disciples the now glorious wounds of his Passion. I offer my blessing to you all!”
Pope Francis

Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Psalm 149
The Lord takes delight in his people.

Sing to the LORD a new song
    of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
    let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
The Lord takes delight in his people.

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
    let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
    and he adorns the lowly with victory.
The Lord takes delight in his people.

Let the faithful exult in glory;
    let them sing for joy upon their couches.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
    This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
The Lord takes delight in his people.

---

SUNDAY, MAY 9, 2021
“If an experience of prayer gives us inner peace, or self-mastery, or clarity about the path to take, these results are, so to speak, side effects of the grace of Christian prayer, which is the encounter with Jesus. That is, meditating means going to the encounter with Jesus, guided by a phrase or a word from Holy Scripture.”
Pope Francis

Sixth Sunday of Easter
Psalm 98
The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Sing to the LORD a new song,
    for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
    his holy arm.
The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

The LORD has made his salvation known:
    in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
    toward the house of Israel.
The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

All the ends of the earth have seen
    the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
    break into song; sing praise.
The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

---

SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2021
“In the month of May, the month of Mary, 8 May, I look towards Luján. May memory be your guide… because strong memory guarantees a sure future. Remember all that the Virgin has accomplished in your homeland. Let yourselves be accompanied by Her, and accompany her in her journey. May God bless you all and may the Virgin keep you. And please, do not forget to pray for me.”
Pope Francis

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Psalm 100
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
    serve the LORD with gladness;
    come before him with joyful song.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Know that the LORD is God;
    he made us, his we are;
    his people, the flock he tends.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

The LORD is good:
    his kindness endures forever,
    and his faithfulness, to all generations.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

---

FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021
“We join together in prayer with all the sanctuaries spread throughout the whole world, with the faithful, and with all persons of good will, to entrust into the hands of our Holy Mother the whole human race, sorely tried by this period of pandemic. Every day of this month of May we will entrust to You, Mother of Mercy, the many people who have been touched by the virus and continue to suffer its consequences; from our deceased brothers and sisters, to families who experience the pain and uncertainty of tomorrow; from the sick to doctors, scientists, nurses, engaged in the front line in this battle; from volunteers to all professionals who have given their precious service in favor of others; from people in mourning and grief to those who, with a simple smile and a good word, brought comfort to those in need; from those – especially women – who have suffered violence at home due to forced closure, to those who wish to resume the pace of daily life with enthusiasm. Mother of Help, welcome us under your mantle and protect us, support us in the hour of trial and kindle the light of hope for the future in our hearts.”
Pope Francis

Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Psalm 57
I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.

My heart is steadfast, O God; my heart is steadfast;
    I will sing and chant praise.
Awake, O my soul; awake, lyre and harp!
    I will wake the dawn.
I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.

I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O LORD,
    I will chant your praise among the nations.
For your mercy towers to the heavens,
    and your faithfulness to the skies.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
    above all the earth be your glory!
I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.

---

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021
“The practice of meditation has received a great deal of attention in recent years. It is not only Christians who talk about it: the practice of meditation exists in almost all the world’s religions… We all need to meditate, to reflect, to discover ourselves, it is a human dynamic… Here, then, is the image of young people and adults sitting in recollection, in silence, with eyes half closed... It is a phenomenon to be looked on favorably. Indeed, we are not made for rushing all the time, we have an inner life that cannot always be trampled on. Meditating is therefore a need for everyone. Meditating, so to speak, is like stopping and taking a breath in life.”
Pope Francis

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Psalm 96
Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Sing to the LORD a new song;
    sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
    among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
    he governs the peoples with equity.
Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

---

WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2021
“We should all have the humility of certain elderly people who, in church, perhaps because their hearing is no longer acute, recite quietly the prayers they learned as children, filling the nave with whispers. That prayer does not disturb the silence, but testifies their fidelity to the duty of prayer, practiced throughout their lives without fail. These practitioners of humble prayer are often the great intercessors in parishes: they are the oaks that from year to year spread their branches to offer shade to the greatest number of people. Only God knows when and how much their hearts have been united to those prayers they recited: surely these people too had to face nights and moments of emptiness. But one can always remain faithful to vocal prayer. It is like an anchor: one can hold on to the rope and remain, faithful, come what may.”
Pope Francis

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Psalm 122
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

I rejoiced because they said to me,
    “We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
    within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Jerusalem, built as a city
    with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
    the tribes of the LORD.
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
    to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
    seats for the house of David.
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

---

TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2021
“Let us pray that those in charge of finance will work with governments to regulate the financial sphere and protect citizens from its dangers.”
Pope Francis

Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter
Psalm 145
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
    and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
    and speak of your might.
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Making known to men your might
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
    and your dominion endures through all generations.
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

May my mouth speak the praise of the LORD,
    and may all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

---

MONDAY, MAY 3, 2021
“Prayer is dialogue with God… Within the human being, prayer becomes word, invocation, hymn, poetry… Words are born from feelings, but there is also the reverse path, whereby words shape feelings. The Bible educates people to ensure that everything comes to light through the word, that nothing human is excluded, censored. Above all, pain is dangerous if it stays hidden, closed up within us... Pain that is closed up within us, that cannot express or give vent to itself, can poison the soul. It is deadly.”
Pope Francis

Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles
Psalm 19
Their message goes out through all the earth.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day;
    and night to night imparts knowledge.
Their message goes out through all the earth.

Not a word nor a discourse
    whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
    and to the ends of the world, their message.
 Their message goes out through all the earth.

---

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021
“My thoughts turn to the elderly, to young people, to the sick and to newlyweds. During this Easter Season, which invites us to meditate on the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection, may the glory of the Lord be for each of us a wellspring of new energy in the journey towards salvation. I offer my blessing to you all!”
Pope Francis

Fifth Sunday of Easter
Psalm 22
I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
    The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
    “May your hearts live forever!”
I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

All the ends of the earth
    shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
    shall bow down before him.
I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

To him alone shall bow down
    all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
    all who go down into the dust. 
I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

And to him my soul shall live;
    my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
    that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
    the justice he has shown.
I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

---

SATURDAY, MAY 1, 2021
“Christ’s love is not selective; it embraces everyone… He is everyone’s shepherd. Jesus wants everyone to be able to receive the Father’s love and encounter God. And the Church is called to carry on this mission of Christ. Beyond those who participate in our communities, there is the majority, many people, who do so only at particular moments or never. But this does not mean they are not God’s children: the Father entrusts everyone to Jesus the Good Shepherd, and He gave His life for everyone. Brothers and sisters, Jesus defends, knows and loves us, everyone.”
Pope Francis

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Psalm 98
All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Sing to the LORD a new song,
    for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
    his holy arm.
All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

The LORD has made his salvation known:
    in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
    toward the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

All the ends of the earth have seen
    the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
    break into song; sing praise.
All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

---

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021
“How beautiful and consoling it is to know that Jesus knows us one by one, that we are not unknown to Him, that our name is known to Him!... We are unique individuals, each with his or her own story, He knows us with our own story, each with his or her own value, both because they have been created and have been redeemed by Christ. Each of us can say: Jesus, knows me!... Only He knows what is in our hearts, our intentions, our most hidden feelings. Jesus knows our strengths and our defects, and is always ready to care for us, to heal the wounds of our errors with the abundance of His mercy.”
Pope Francis

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Psalm 2
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

“I myself have set up my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
    The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
    this day I have begotten you.”]
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

“Ask of me and I will give you
    the nations for an inheritance
    and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
    you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

And now, O kings, give heed;
    take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
    with trembling rejoice.
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

---

THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021
“Jesus, the true shepherd, defends us always and saves us from so many difficult situations, dangerous situations through the light of His word and the strength of His presence that we always experience if we want to listen, every day.”
Pope Francis

Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Psalm 89
For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
    through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
    in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“I have found David, my servant;
    with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
    and that my arm may make him strong.”
For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
    and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
    my God, the Rock, my savior.’”
For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

---

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021
“Do I pray, certain that I am in the Church and that I pray with the Church? Or do I pray a bit according to my ideas and then make my ideas become prayer?... Without faith everything collapses; and without prayer faith is extinguished. Faith and prayer together. There is no other alternative.”
Pope Francis

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Psalm 67
O God, let all the nations praise you!

May God have pity on us and bless us;
    may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
    among all nations, your salvation.
O God, let all the nations praise you!

May the nations be glad and exult
    because you rule the peoples in equity;
    the nations on the earth you guide.
O God, let all the nations praise you!

May the peoples praise you, O God;
    may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
    and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
O God, let all the nations praise you!

---

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021
“Being Christian is not first of all a doctrine or a moral ideal; it is a living relationship with Him, with the Risen Lord: we look at Him, we touch Him, we are nourished by Him and, transformed by His Love, we look at, touch and nourish others as brothers and sisters. May the Virgin Mary help us to live this experience of grace.”
Pope Francis

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Psalm 87
All you nations, praise the Lord.

His foundation upon the holy mountains
    the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
    more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
    O city of God!
All you nations, praise the Lord.

I tell of Egypt and Babylon
    among those who know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
    “This man was born there.”
And of Zion they shall say:
    “One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
    is the Most High LORD.”
 All you nations, praise the Lord.

They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
    “This man was born there.”
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
    “My home is within you.”
All you nations, praise the Lord.

---

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021
“Many of us learned how to whisper our first prayers on our parents’ or grandparents’ laps… We become aware that the gift we received with simplicity in infancy is a great heritage… The garment of faith is not starched, but develops with us; it is not rigid, it grows, even through moments of crisis and resurrection… After certain passages in life, we become aware that without faith we could not have made it and that our strength was prayer – not only personal prayer, but also that of our brothers and sisters, and of the community that accompanied and supported us, of the people who know us, of the people we ask to pray for us.”
Pope Francis

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Psalm 42
Athirst is my soul for the living God.

As the hind longs for the running waters,
    so my soul longs for you, O God.
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
    When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Athirst is my soul for the living God.

Send forth your light and your fidelity;
    they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
    to your dwelling-place.
Athirst is my soul for the living God.

Then will I go in to the altar of God,
    the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
    O God, my God!
Athirst is my soul for the living God

---

SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2021
“To look is not only to see, it is more; it also involves intention, will. For this reason, it is one of the verbs of love. A mother and father look at their child; lovers gaze at each other; a good doctor looks at the patient carefully... Looking is a first step against indifference, against the temptation to look the other way before the difficulties and sufferings of others. To look. Do I see or look at Jesus?”
Pope Francis

 Fourth Sunday of Easter
Psalm 118
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
    for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in princes.
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
    and have been my savior.
The stone which the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
    it is wonderful in our eyes.
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
    we bless you from the house of the LORD.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
    and have been my savior.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
    for his kindness endures forever.
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

---

SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021
“If prayer ceases, for a little while it seems that everything can go ahead like always – by inertia, no? – but after a short time, the Church becomes aware that it has become like an empty shell, that it has lost its bearings, that it no longer possesses its source of warmth and love.”
Pope Francis

 Saturday of the Third Week of Easter
Psalm 116
How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

How shall I make a return to the LORD
    for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
    and I will call upon the name of the LORD
How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

My vows to the LORD I will pay
    in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
    is the death of his faithful ones.
How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

O LORD, I am your servant;
    I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
    you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
    and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

---

FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2021
“Let us not confess to abase ourselves, but to be raised up. We, all of us, need this badly. Like little children who, whenever they fall, need to be picked up by their fathers, we need this. We too fall frequently. And the hand of our Father is ready to set us on our feet again and to make us keep walking. That sure and trustworthy hand is Confession. Confession is the sacrament that lifts us up; it does not leave us on the ground, weeping on the hard stones where we have fallen Confession is the Sacrament of resurrection, pure mercy... God forgives everything.”
Pope Francis

 Friday of the Third Week of Easter
Psalm 117
(Mark 16:15)  Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

Praise the LORD, all you nations;
    glorify him, all you peoples!
Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
    and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

---

 

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021
“Dear sister, dear brother, do you want proof that God has touched your life? See if you can stoop to bind the wounds of others. Today is the day to ask, “Am I, who so often have received God’s peace, his mercy, merciful to others? Do I, who have so often been fed by the Body of Jesus, make any effort to relieve the hunger of the poor?” Let us not remain indifferent. Let us not live a one-way faith, a faith that receives but does not give, a faith that accepts the gift but does not give it in return. Having received mercy, let us now become merciful.”
Pope Francis

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter
Psalm 66
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Bless our God, you peoples,
    loudly sound his praise;
He has given life to our souls,
    and has not let our feet slip.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
    what he has done for me.
When I appealed to him in words,
    praise was on the tip of my tongue.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Blessed be God who refused me not
    my prayer or his kindness!
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

---

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021
“Sin brings torment; evil has its price… Of ourselves, we cannot remove it. Only God takes it away, only He by His mercy can make us emerge from the depths of our misery… We need to let ourselves be forgiven, to ask heartfelt pardon of the Lord. We need to open our hearts to being forgiven. Forgiveness in the Holy Spirit is the Easter gift that enables our interior resurrection. Let us ask for the grace to accept that gift, to embrace the Sacrament of forgiveness And to understand that Confession is not about ourselves and our sins, but about God and His mercy.”
Pope Francis

Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
Psalm 66
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
    sing praise to the glory of his name;
    proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
    sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
    his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

He has changed the sea into dry land;
    through the river they passed on foot;
    therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
 

---

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021
“As far as God is concerned, no one is useless, discredited or a castaway. Today Jesus also tells us, “Peace be with you! You are precious in my eyes. Peace be with you! You are important for me. Peace be with you! You have a mission. No one can take your place. You are irreplaceable. And I believe in you.””
Pope Francis

Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter
Psalm 31
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Be my rock of refuge,
    a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
    for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Into your hands I commend my spirit;
    you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
My trust is in the LORD;
    I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Let your face shine upon your servant;
    save me in your kindness
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
    from the plottings of men.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

---

MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021
“There is a mysterious solidarity in Christ between those who have already passed to the other life and we pilgrims in this one: our deceased loved ones continue to take care of us from Heaven. They pray for us, and we pray for them and we pray with them.”
Pope Francis

Monday of the Third Week of Easter
Psalm 119
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

Though princes meet and talk against me,
    your servant meditates on your statutes.
Yes, your decrees are my delight;
    they are my counselors.
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

I declared my ways, and you answered me;
    teach me your statutes.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

Remove from me the way of falsehood,
    and favor me with your law.
The way of truth I have chosen;
    I have set your ordinances before me.
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

---

SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2021
“Saints remind us that holiness can blossom even in our lives, however weak and marked by sin. In the Gospels we read that the first saint to be “canonized” was a thief, and he was “canonized”, not by a Pope, but by Jesus himself. Holiness is a journey of life, of a long, short or instantaneous encounter with Jesus, but always a witness.”
Pope Francis

Third Sunday of Easter
Psalm 4
Lord, let your face shine on us.

When I call, answer me, O my just God,
    you who relieve me when I am in distress;
    have pity on me, and hear my prayer!
Lord, let your face shine on us.

Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one;
    the LORD will hear me when I call upon him.
Lord, let your face shine on us.

O LORD, let the light of your countenance shine upon us!
    You put gladness into my heart.
Lord, let your face shine on us.

As soon as I lie down, I fall peacefully asleep,
    for you alone, O LORD,
    bring security to my dwelling.
Lord, let your face shine on us. 

---

SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2021
“Prayers — those that are good — are “expansive”, they propagate themselves continuously, with or without being posted on social media: from hospital wards, from moments of festive gatherings to those in which we suffer silently... The suffering of each is the suffering of all, and one’s happiness is transmitted to someone else’s soul. Suffering and happiness are part of a single history: they are stories that create history in one’s own life. This history is relived in one’s own words, but the experience is the same.”
Pope Francis

Saturday of the Second Week of Easter
Psalm 33
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Exult, you just, in the LORD;
    praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
    with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Upright is the word of the LORD,
    and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
    of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
    upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
    and preserve them in spite of famine.
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

---

 

FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
“We pray for those who risk their lives while fighting for fundamental rights under dictatorships, authoritarian regimes and even in democracies in crisis.”
Pope Francis

Friday of the Second Week of Easter
Psalm 27
One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
    whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
    of whom should I be afraid?
One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.

One thing I ask of the LORD
    this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
    all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
    and contemplate his temple.
One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
    in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
    be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.

---

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021
“In the Church there is no grief that is borne in solitude, there are no tears shed in oblivion, because everyone breathes and participates in one common grace.”
Pope Francis

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
Psalm 34
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

I will bless the LORD at all times;
    his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
    blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

The LORD confronts the evildoers,
    to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
    and from all their distress he rescues them.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
    and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
    but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

---

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021
“I would like to reflect on the connection between prayer and the communion of saints. In fact, when we pray, we never do so alone: even if we do not think about it, we are immersed in a majestic river of invocations that precedes us and proceeds after us… And thus, these voices are passed on from generation to generation, in a continual intertwining between personal experience and that of the people and the humanity to which we belong. No one can separate themselves from their own history, the history of their own people. We always carry this inheritance in our attitudes, and also in prayer.”
Pope Francis

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter
Psalm 34
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

I will bless the LORD at all times;
    his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
    the lowly will hear me and be glad.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Glorify the LORD with me,
    let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
    and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
    and from all his distress he saved him.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

The angel of the LORD encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
    blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

---

TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021
“The cross cannot but express love, service, unreserved self-giving: only in this way is it truly the “tree of life”, of overabundant life… May the Virgin Mary help us to follow Jesus, to walk, strong and joyful, on the path of service, so that the love of Christ may shine in our every attitude and become more and more the style of our daily life.”
Pope Francis

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
Psalm 93
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
    robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

And he has made the world firm,
    not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
    from everlasting you are, O LORD.
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
    holiness befits your house,
    O LORD, for length of days.
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

---

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021
“Jesus extended Mary’s maternity to the entire Church when He entrusted her to his beloved disciple shortly before dying on the cross. From that moment on, we have all been gathered under her mantle… It is true that Christian piety has always given her beautiful titles, as a child gives his or her mamma: how many beautiful things children say about their mamma whom they love so much!... But we need to be careful: the things the Church, the Saints, say about her, beautiful things, about Mary, subtract nothing from Christ’s sole Redemption. He is the only Redeemer. They are expressions of love like a child for his or her mamma – some are exaggerated. But love, as we know, always makes us exaggerate things, but out of love.”
Pope Francis

Monday of the Second Week of Easter
Psalm 2
Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.

Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
    and the princes conspire together
    against the LORD and against his anointed:
“Let us break their fetters
    and cast their bonds from us!”
Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.

He who is throned in heaven laughs;
    the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
    he terrifies them in his wrath:
“I myself have set up my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.

The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
    this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
    the nations for an inheritance
    and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
    you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”
Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.

---

SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021
“We know that the main pathway of Christian prayer is the humanity of Jesus… Christ is the Mediator, Christ is the bridge that we cross to turn to the Father. He is the only Redeemer: there are no co-redeemers with Christ… Each prayer we raise to God is through Christ, with Christ and in Christ and it is fulfilled thanks to His intercession.”
Pope Francis

Second Sunday of Easter
Sunday of Divine Mercy
Psalm 118
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.

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

I was hard pressed and was falling,
    but the LORD helped me.
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:
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.

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.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.

---

---

 

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2021
“May the light of the risen Jesus be a source of rebirth for migrants fleeing from war and extreme poverty. Let us recognize in their faces the marred and suffering face of the Lord as He walked the path to Calvary. May they never lack concrete signs of solidarity and human fraternity, a pledge of the victory of life over death.”
Pope Francis

Saturday in the Octave of Easter
Psalm 118
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.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

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

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

---

FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 2021
“The risen Jesus is also hope for all those young people forced to go long periods without attending school or university, or spending time with their friends. Experiencing real human relationships, not just virtual relationships, is something that everyone needs, especially at an age when a person’s character and personality is being formed… I express my closeness to young people throughout the world.”
Pope Francis

Friday in the Octave of Easter
Psalm 118
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 rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

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.
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

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.
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

---

THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2021
“The risen Christ is hope for all who continue to suffer from the pandemic, both the sick and those who have lost a loved one. May the Lord give them comfort and sustain the valiant efforts of doctors and nurses… The crucified and risen Lord is comfort for those who have lost their jobs or experience serious economic difficulties and lack adequate social protection… The risen Jesus bears the marks of the wounds in his hands, feet and side. These wounds are the everlasting seal of his love for us. All those who experience a painful trial in body or spirit can find refuge in these wounds and, through them, receive the grace of the hope that does not disappoint.”
Pope Francis

Thursday in the Octave of Easter
Psalm 8
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

O LORD, our Lord,
    how glorious is your name over all the earth!
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
    or the son of man that you should care for him?
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

You have made him little less than the angels,
    and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
    putting all things under his feet.
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

All sheep and oxen,
    yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
    and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

---

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2021
“In the light of the Risen Lord, our sufferings are now transfigured. Where there was death, now there is life. Where there was mourning, now there is consolation. In embracing the cross, Jesus bestowed meaning on our sufferings and now we pray that the benefits of that healing will spread throughout the world.”
Pope Francis

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
Psalm 105
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. 

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
    make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
    proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. 

Glory in his holy name;
    rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
    seek to serve him constantly.
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. 

You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
    sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
    throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. 

He remembers forever his covenant
    which he made binding for a thousand generations-
Which he entered into with Abraham
    and by his oath to Isaac.
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. 

---

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021
“The Easter message does not offer us a mirage or reveal a magic formula. It does not point to an escape from the difficult situation we are experiencing. The pandemic is still spreading, while the social and economic crisis remains severe, especially for the poor… In the face of, or better, in the midst of this complex reality, the Easter message speaks concisely of the event that gives us the hope that does not disappoint: “Jesus who was crucified has risen.””
Pope Francis

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Psalm 33
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Upright is the word of the LORD,
    and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
    of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
    upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
    and preserve them in spite of famine.
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Our soul waits for the LORD,
    who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
    who have put our hope in you.
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
 

---

MONDAY IN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER, APRIL 5, 2021
"“Jesus Christ is risen!” – “He is truly risen!” Dear brothers and sisters, indifference, self-centredness, division and forgetfulness are not words we want to hear at this time. We want to ban these words for ever! They seem to prevail when fear and death overwhelm us, that is, when we do not let the Lord Jesus triumph in our hearts and lives. May Christ, who has already defeated death and opened for us the way to eternal salvation, dispel the darkness of our suffering humanity and lead us into the light of His glorious day, a day that knows no end."
Pope Francis

Psalm 16
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
    I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
    you it is who hold fast my lot.
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

I bless the LORD who counsels me;
    even in the night my heart exhorts me
I set the LORD ever before me;
    with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
    my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
    nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

You will show me the path to life,
    fullness of joys in your presence,
    the delights at your right hand forever.
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

---

EASTER SUNDAY THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD, APRIL 4, 2021
"Dear brothers and sisters, this year too we will live the Easter celebrations in the context of the pandemic. In many situations of suffering, especially when they are borne by persons, families and peoples already tried by poverty, disasters or conflicts, Christ’s Cross is like a beacon that indicates the port to ships that are still afloat on stormy seas. Christ’s Cross is the sign of hope that does not disappoint; and it tells us that not even one tear, not one sigh is lost in God’s plan of salvation. Let us ask the Lord to grant us the grace to serve Him and acknowledge Him, and to not allow ourselves to be paid to forget Him."
Pope Francis

The Mass of Easter Day
Psalm 118
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
    for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
    “His mercy endures forever.”
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
    the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
    and declare the works of the LORD.”
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

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 rejoice and be glad

HOLY SATURDAY AT THE EASTER VIGIL IN THE HOLY NIGHT OF EASTER, APRIL 3, 2021
"Holy Saturday is the day of silence: there is a great silence throughout the World; a silence lived by the first disciples in mourning and bewilderment, shocked by Jesus’ ignominious death. While the Word is silent, while Life is in the sepulchre, those who had hoped in him were put to a difficult test, they felt like orphans, perhaps even orphaned by God. This Saturday is also Mary's day: she too lived it in tears, but her heart was full of faith, full of hope, full of love. The Mother of Jesus had followed her Son along the way of sorrows and remained at the foot of the cross, with her soul pierced. But when it all seemed to be over, she kept watch, she kept vigil, in expectation, maintaining her hope in the promise of God who raises the dead. Thus, in the world’s darkest hour, she became the Mother of believers, the Mother of the Church and the sign of hope. Her witness and her intercession sustain us when the weight of the cross becomes too heavy for each one of us."
Pope Francis FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2021
"Jesus’ words have the power to bring to light whatever each of us holds in the depths of our heart, often mixed like the wheat and the tares. And this gives rise to spiritual conflict Seeing the signs of the Lord’s superabundant mercy… we find ourselves forced to discern and decide… The closeness of Jesus, who dines with sinners, wins hearts like those of Zacchaeus, Matthew and the Samaritan woman, but it also awakens scorn in the self-righteous. The hour of joyful proclamation, the hour of persecution and the hour of the cross go together. When His hour came, He embraced the cross fully. For on the cross there can be no ambiguity! The cross is non-negotiable."
Pope Francis THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021
"As with the Our Father, after the praise we add the supplication: we ask that Mary pray for us sinners, that she might intercede with her tenderness, “now and at the hour of our death” Now, in the concrete situations of life, and in the final moment, so that she might accompany us – as Mother, as the first disciple – in our passage to eternal life… Mary is always present at the bedside of her children when they depart this world. If someone is alone and abandoned, she is Mother, she is there, near, as she was next to her Son when everyone else abandoned him."
Pope Francis