Catholic Doctrine and the Sunday Readings for April 2023

The meaning of the Sunday Mass Readings for April 2023 is made clearest by Catholic Doctrine. Let’s better understand key verses from April’s Readings by learning the doctrines in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that clarify them. Doctrines are those objective truths with which we must agree in order to be Catholic.

April 2, Psalm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

The Catechism uses verses from the account of the Last Supper (Matthew26:20-35) in today’s Gospel to assert that “Jesus transformed this Last Supper into the memorial of his voluntary offering to the Father for the salvation of men” (CCC 610[1]). Christ instituted the Eucharist “at that moment” (CCC 611).

“[T]his is my body” (Matthew 26:26) and “this is my blood” (Matthew 26:28) mean that “[i]n the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he poured out” (CCC 1365). The consecrated bread and wine are actually, not merely symbolically, the Body and Blood of Christ.

The Consecration of the bread and wine makes present the Last Supper and the Crucifixion (CCC 1363-64, 1382). When we go to Mass, the Last Supper and the Crucifixion are brought to us. At Mass, we are given the astonishing grace to be in the Upper Room with Christ the night before He died and to be at the foot of the cross.

We should realize that when Jesus said at his arrest, “Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53), “Jesus freely accepted his Passion and death” (CCC 609). Jesus “entered willingly into his Passion,” as the priest says in Eucharist Prayer II.

In saying “for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28), Jesus reveals that His Crucifixion is “the unique and definitive sacrifice” (CCC 613) for the forgiveness of sins, as I covered in more detail in my January column.

• From the Procession with Palms – Gospel[2] (Matthew 21:1-11): Mt 21:1-11 is cited in CCC 559; and Mt 21:9 in CCC
• From the First Reading (Isaiah 50:4-7): Is 50:4-10 is cited in CCC 713; and Is 50:4 in CCC
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24): Ps 22 is cited in CCC
• From the Second Reading (Philippians 2:6-11): Phil 2:6-11 is cited in CCC 2641 and 2667; Phil 2:6-9 in CCC 1850; Phil 2:6 in CCC 449; Phil 2:7 in CCC 472, 602, 705, 713, 876, and 1224; Phil 2:8-9 in CCC 908; Phil 2:8 in CCC 411, 612, and 623; Phil 2:9-11 in CCC 449 and 2812; Phil 2:9-10 in CCC 434; Phil 2:10-11 in CCC 201; Phil 2:10 in CCC 633 and 635.
• From the Verse before the Gospel (Philippians 2:8-9): see above.
• From the Gospel (Matthew 26:14-27:66): Mt 26:17-29 is cited in CCC 1339; Mt 26:20 in CCC 610; Mt 26:26 in CCC 1328 and 1329; Mt 26:28 in CCC 545, 610, 613, 1365, 1846, and 2839; Mt 26:29 in CCC 1403; Mt 26:31 in CCC 764; Mt 26:36-44 in CCC 2849; Mt 26:38 in CCC 363; Mt 26:39 in CCC 536 and 612; Mt 26:40 in CCC 2719; Mt 26:42 in CCC 612; Mt 26:52 in CCC 2262; Mt 26:53 in CCC 333 and 609; Mt 26:54 in CCC 600; Mt 26:64-66 in CCC 591; Mt 26:64 in CCC 443; Mt 26:66 in CCC 596; Mt 27:25 in CCC 597; Mt 27:39-40 in CCC 585; Mt 27:48 in CCC 515; Mt 27:52-53 in CCC 633; Mt 27:54 in CCC 441; and Mt 27:56 in CCC

April 9, The Resurrection of the Lord, the Mass of Easter Day

Easter is “the Feast of feasts” (CCC 1169) since “[t]he Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ” (CCC 638). Although today’s Gospel is only about the empty tomb (John 20:1-9) and there is much more to the Resurrection, ‘[t]he first element we encounter in the framework of the Easter events is the empty tomb,” from which we should realize, like “the other disciple,” “that the absence of Jesus’ body could not have been of human doing and that Jesus had not simply returned to earthly life as had been the case with Lazarus” (CCC 640). We will learn more Catholic doctrine about the Resurrection from next Sunday’s Reading.

• From the First Reading (Acts 10:34a, 37-43): Acts 10:38 is cited in CCC 438, 453, 486, and 1289; Acts 10:39 in CCC 597; Acts 10:41 in CCC 659 and 995; and Acts 10:42 in CCC
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23): Ps 118:22 is cited in CCC 587 and 756.
• From the Second Reading (Colossians 3:1-4): Col 3:1-3 is cited in CCC 655; Col 3:1 in CCC 1002; Col 3:3 in CCC 665, 1003, 1420, and 2796; Col 3:4 in CCC 1003 and 2772. OR from the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 5:6b-8): 1 Cor 5:6-8 is cited in CCC 129; and 1 Cor 5:7 in CCC 608, 610, and 613.
• From the Alleluia (1 Corinthians 5:7): see above.
• From the Gospel (John 20:1-9): Jn 20:1 is cited in CCC 2174; Jn 20:2 in CCC 640; Jn 20:5-7 in CCC 640; Jn 20:6 in CCC 640; Jn 20:7 in CCC 515; Jn 20:8 in CCC

April 16, The Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy)

In today’s First Reading, we hear that the first Christians “devoted themselves to . . . the breaking of the bread” (Acts 2:42). The celebration of the Eucharist every Sunday “dates from the beginnings of the apostolic age” (CCC 2178). “From that time on down to our own day the celebration of the Eucharist has been continued” (CCC 1343). Changing the Lord’s Day from Saturday (the day for Jews before and after Christ) to Sunday is based on Sacred Tradition, not Sacred Scripture. The New Testament does not tell Christians to make this change.

The Catechism uses verses from today’s Gospel (John 20:19, 24-27) to declare that “it is impossible not to acknowledge [Christ’s Resurrection] as a historical fact” (CCC 643). The Apostles’ “faith in the Resurrection was born, under the action of divine grace, from their direct experience of the reality of the risen Jesus” (CCC 644).

And what is this reality? Jesus “showed them his hands and his side” (John 20:20) which reveals that “he is not a ghost” and that ”the risen body in which he appears to them is the same body that had been tortured and crucified” (CCC 645). Yet “when the doors were locked . . . Jesus came and stood in their midst” (John 20:19) means that Jesus’ “authentic, real body possesses the new properties of a glorious body: not limited by space and time but able to be present how and when he wills” (CCC 645). Unlike Lazarus, the Risen Christ no longer grows older, gets sick, can be injured, gets tired, needs food and water, and needs clothing and shelter. Jesus has even conquered death and will never die.

Just as the Risen Christ has an eternal body that is both physical and supernatural, so will everyone on the Last Day—whether they are raised to the resurrection of life (the Kingdom) or to the resurrection of judgment (Hell) (CCC 655).

• From the First Reading (Acts 2:42-47): Acts 2:42-46 is cited in CCC 2178; Acts 2:42 in CCC 3, 857, 949, 1329, 1342, and 2624; Acts 2:46 in CCC 584, 1329, and 1342; and Acts 2:47 in CCC 2640.
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23): Ps 118:22 is cited in CCC 587 and 756.
• From the Second Reading (1 Peter 1:3-9): 1 Pt 1:3-9 is cited in CCC 2627; 1 Pt 1:3 in CCC 654; and 1 Pt 1:7 in CCC 1031.
• From the Gospel (John 20:19-31): Jn 20:19 is cited in CCC 575, 643, 645, and 659; Jn 20:20 in CCC 645; Jn 20:21-23 in CCC 1087, 1120, and 1441; Jn 20:21 in CCC 730 and 858; Jn 20:22-23 in CCC 976 and 1485; Jn 20:22 in CCC 730, 788, and 1287; Jn 20:23 in CCC 1461 and 2839; Jn 20:24-27 in CCC 644; Jn 20:26 in CCC 645 and 659; Jn 20:27 in CCC 645; Jn 20:28 in CCC 448; Jn 20:30 in CCC 514; and Jn 20:31 in CCC 442 and 514.

April 23, The Third Sunday of Easter

In the First Reading, we hear “But God raised [Jesus] up, releasing him from the throes of death” (Acts 2:24). The Catechism uses this verse to teach that Jesus did not “descend into hell [in the words of the Apostles’ Creed] to deliver the damned [who stayed damned], nor to destroy the hell of damnation [which continues to exist], but to free the just who had gone before him” and had been “deprived of the vision of God” (CCC 633). Hell in this context means “the abode of the dead.”

Just as the disciples realized they were encountering the Risen Lord when He “took bread, said the blessing, and broke it (Luke 24:30) in today’s Gospel, we should realize that we encounter the Risen Lord in the Consecrated Bread and Wine, Christ’s Body and Blood (CCC 1166).

• From the First Reading (Acts 2:14, 22-33): Acts 2:17-21 is cited in CCC 715; Acts 2:17-18 in CCC 1287; Acts 2:21 in CCC 432 and 2666; Acts 2:22 in CCC 547; Acts 2:23 in CCC 597 and 599; Acts 2:24 in CCC 633 and 648; Acts 2:26-27 in CCC 627; and Acts 2:33 in CCC 659 and 788.
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11): Ps 16:9-10 is cited in CCC 627.
• From the Second Reading (1 Peter 1:17-21): 1 Pt 1:18-20 is cited in CCC 602; 1 Pt 1:18-19 in CCC 517; 1 Pt 1:18 in CCC 622; and 1 Pt 1:19 in CCC
• From the Alleluia (Luke 24:32): see below.
• From the Gospel (Luke 24:13-35): Lk 24:13-35 is cited in CCC 1329 and 1347; Lk 24:15 in CCC 645 and 659; Lk 24:17 in CCC 643; Lk 24:21 in CCC 439; Lk 24:22-23 in CCC 640; Lk 24:25-27 in CCC 112 and 601; Lk 24:26-27 in CCC 572 and 652; Lk 24:26 in CCC 555 and 710; Lk 24:27 in CCC 555 and 2625; Lk 24:30 in CCC 645 and 1166; Lk 24:31 in CCC 659; and Lk 24:34 in CCC 552 and 641.

April 30, The Fourth Sunday of Easter

About “the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38) that Peter promises will be received after baptism, in the First Reading, the Catechism teaches “this same Spirit who brings sin to light is also the Consoler who gives the human heart grace for repentance and conversion” (CCC 1433). What tells us whether or not we have sinned? Catholic Doctrine, the best expression of the will of God. To what should we have conversion? To Catholic Doctrine, and so to God’s will.

• From the First Reading (Acts 2:14a, 36-41): Acts 2:36-38 is cited in CCC 1433; Acts 2:36 in CCC 440, 597, 695, 731, and 746; Acts 2:38 in CCC 1226, 1262, 1287, and 1427; and Acts 2:41 in CCC 363 and 1226.
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 23: 1-3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6): Ps 23:5 is cited in CCC
• From the Second Reading (1 Peter 2:20b-25): 1 Pt 2:21 is cited in CCC 618; and 1 Pt 2:24 in CCC 612.
• From the Gospel (John 10:1-10): Jn 10:1-10 is cited in CCC 754; and Jn 10:3 in CCC

[1] CCC abbreviates the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Any number after it is the number of a paragraph in the Catechism. For example, “CCC 610” means paragraph 610 of the Catechism.

[2] If a Reading is not listed, then none of its verses is cited by the CCC.