Eastertide
First ReadingActs 15:7-21
7At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. 8God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 10So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers*15:10 Greek disciples. with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

12Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

13When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me. 14Peter*15:14 Greek Simeon. has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself. 15And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:

16‘Afterward I will return

and restore the fallen house*15:16 Or kingdom; Greek reads tent. of David.

I will rebuild its ruins

and restore it,

17so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord,

including the Gentiles—

all those I have called to be mine.

The Lord has spoken—

18he who made these things known so long ago.’*15:16-18 Amos 9:11-12 (Greek version); Isa 45:21.

19“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. 21For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”

Reflection

Luke presents this account from the Jerusalem Council (circa 49 AD) as a pivotal moment when the early Church, led by Peter and James, had to decide whether Gentile converts needed to follow Jewish law. In the Easter season, when we celebrate Christ's resurrection as the universal gift of salvation, this passage reminds us that the risen Lord breaks down all barriers—Peter's vision and the Holy Spirit's confirmation show that grace flows freely to all people, regardless of their background or heritage. The council's decision to welcome Gentiles without requiring full adherence to Jewish practices reflects the revolutionary inclusivity of the Resurrection: Christ's victory over death is not limited by human categories or traditions, but extends to everyone who believes.

Responsorial PsalmPsalm 96:1-2, 2-3, 10

Psalm 96

Proclaim the Good News in All Nations

1Sing a new song to the Lord!

Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!

2Sing to the Lord; praise his name.

Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.

2Sing to the Lord; praise his name.

Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.

3Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.

Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.

10Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.

He will judge all peoples fairly.

Reflection

Psalm 96 is a hymn of praise likely composed during the post-exilic period when the Jewish community sought to reaffirm God's sovereignty and universal dominion over all nations. During Eastertide, this psalm invites us to recognize that Christ's resurrection is the ultimate proclamation of God's saving power, calling us to witness to this transformative victory not just in our words but through the renewal of our entire lives. The firmness and stability promised here reflects the unshakeable foundation that the risen Christ provides for the Church and all creation.

GospelJohn 15:9-11

9“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

Reflection

John's Gospel, written late in the first century for a community of believers seeking to deepen their faith, presents Jesus's teachings during his final meal with the disciples before his passion. In the Easter season, when we celebrate Christ's resurrection and new life, these words remind us that our joy flows not from external circumstances but from remaining rooted in Christ's love—the same sacrificial love that conquered death itself. By keeping his commandments, we participate in the eternal communion between Father and Son, and this union becomes the source of an overflowing joy that no earthly trial can diminish.