Easter Preface.
READING Acts 13, 26-33
Reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
Having arrived at Antioch in Pisidia, Paul said in the synagogue: “Brothers, this message of salvation is for you: the descendants of Abraham and those who fear God. For the people of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus, nor did they understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, but unwittingly they fulfilled them, condemning Jesus. Although they found nothing in him deserving of death, they asked Pilate to condemn him. After they had fulfilled everything that was written about him, they took him down from the gallows and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead and for a while he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses before the people. And we proclaim to you this good news: what God promised to our fathers has been fulfilled for us as their children by raising Jesus from the dead, as it is written in the second psalm: “You are my Son; today I have become your father.” The Word of God.
Commentary : The first thing Saint Paul points out is the Jewish privilege that existed, that is, the entire Gospel history and the Christian event itself occurred among the Jews. But now we must understand the history of salvation from the perspective of faith. That is, we must merge all the promises into the fact that God rose from the dead and that, in him, forgiveness is offered to all without distinction of race or nation.
PSALM Ps 2, 6-12
R. You are my son, today I have begotten you!
"I myself have established my King on Zion, my holy mountain." I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He has said to me: "You are my son, today I have begotten you." R.
«Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You will dash them in pieces with a rod of iron; you will dash them in pieces like clay.» R .
Therefore, you kings, be wise; learn, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear; trembling, do him homage. R.
ALLELUIA Jn 14, 6
Alleluia. "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me," says the Lord. Alleluia.
GOSPEL Jn 14, 1-6
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint John.
At the hour of passing from this world to the Father, Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be anxious. Believe in God and believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I have gone and prepared a place for you, I will come again to take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. You know the way to the place where I am.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The word of the Lord.
Commentary : Jesus promises his disciples a mysterious coming and going, a going to the Father and returning, to be with his disciples forever. The disciples, represented by Philip, ask for something more immediate: to see the Father. But what Philip ignores is that this "vision" of God is achieved through knowing the person of Jesus. Therefore, they are invited to remain calm, believing in God and in him, which is the path to follow, the truth to believe in, and the life to imitate.