8 April 2026 (Wednesday) / Easter Wednesday / Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

8 April 2026 (Wednesday)

Easter Wednesday.
Wednesday in the Octave of Easter.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Acts 3: 1-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 105: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia: Psalms 118: 24
Gospel: Luke 24: 13-35
Liturgical year 2026 (Cycle A/II)
Liturgical color: White or Gold.

First Reading : Acts 3:1‐10

(Reader) A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

Once, when Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the prayers at the ninth hour, it happened that there was a man being carried past. He was a cripple from birth; and they used to put him down every day near the Temple entrance called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from the people going in. When this man saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple he begged from them. Both Peter and John looked straight at him and said, ‘Look at us.’ He turned to them expectantly, hoping to get something from them, but Peter said, ‘I have neither silver nor gold, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!’ Peter then took him by the hand and helped him to stand up. Instantly his feet and ankles became firm, he jumped up, stood, and began to walk, and he went with them into the Temple, walking and jumping and praising God. Everyone could see him walking and praising God, and they recognised him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. They were all astonished and unable to explain what had happened to him.

(Reader) The Word of the Lord.
(All) Thanks be to God.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 104(105):1‐4,6‐9

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name,
  make known his deeds among the peoples.
O sing to him, sing his praise;
  tell all his wonderful works!
Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Be proud of his holy name,
  let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
Consider the Lord and his strength;
  constantly seek his face.
Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
O children of Abraham, his servant,
  O sons of the Jacob he chose.
He, the Lord, is our God:
  his judgements prevail in all the earth.
Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
He remembers his covenant for ever,
  his promise for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
  the oath he swore to Isaac.
Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia: Psalms 118: 24
Alleluia: Psalms 118: 24
R. Alleluia, alleluia.24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
(1. Alleluia! Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good, for his faithful love endures for ever.
2. Let the House of Israel say, 'His faithful love endures for ever.'
3. Let the House of Aaron say, 'His faithful love endures for ever.'
4. Let those who fear Yahweh say, 'His faithful love endures for ever.'
5. In my distress I called to Yahweh, he heard me and brought me relief.
6. With Yahweh on my side I fear nothing; what can human beings do to me?
7. With Yahweh on my side as my help, I gloat over my enemies.
8. It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to rely on human beings;
9. better to take refuge in Yahweh than to rely on princes.
10. Nations were swarming around me, in the name of Yahweh I cut them down;
11. they swarmed around me, pressing upon me, in the name of Yahweh I cut them down.
12. They swarmed around me like bees, they flared up like a brushwood fire, in the name of Yahweh I cut them down.
13. I was pushed hard, to make me fall, but Yahweh came to my help.
14. Yahweh is my strength and my song, he has been my Saviour.
15. Shouts of joy and salvation, in the tents of the upright, 'Yahweh's right hand is triumphant
16. Yahweh's right hand is victorious, Yahweh's right hand is triumphant!'
17. I shall not die, I shall live to recount the great deeds of Yahweh.
18. Though Yahweh punished me sternly, he has not abandoned me to death.
19. Open for me the gates of saving justice, I shall go in and thank Yahweh.
20. This is the gate of Yahweh, where the upright go in.
21. I thank you for hearing me, and making yourself my Saviour.
22. The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
23. This is Yahweh's doing, and we marvel at it
24. This is the day which Yahweh has made, a day for us to rejoice and be glad.
25. We beg you, Yahweh, save us, we beg you, Yahweh, give us victory!
26. Blessed in the name of Yahweh is he who is coming! We bless you from the house of Yahweh
27. Yahweh is God, he gives us light. Link your processions, branches in hand, up to the horns of the altar.
28. You are my God, I thank you, all praise to you, my God. I thank you for hearing me, and making yourself my Saviour.
29. Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good, for his faithful love endures for ever.)

Gospel : Luke 24:13‐35

(Reader) A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
(All) Glory to you, O Lord.

Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.
  Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
  Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
  When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
  They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.

(Reader) The Gospel of the Lord.
(All) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

For our reflection today:

Complaining damages the heart, not only our complaints of others, “but also their complaints of us, when everything seems to have turned sour”. With this thought on daily life Pope Francis reflected on the story of the disciples at Emmaus — recounted by the Evangelist Luke (24:13-35) — in his Homily on Wednesday morning, 3 April, at Mass in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae. Present were the employees of the Domus Romana Sacerdotalis.

The Pope spoke about the disciples’ dismay at the death of the Teacher which was so overwhelming. “They thought it best to leave the city. Yet, the poor things were still talking about it, weren’t they? And they were complaining. It could be said that this was more or less the day of complaint”. But their words did no more than cause them to withdraw into themselves. In their hearts they were thinking: “we had such great hopes, but everything has failed”. And in this situation, the Pope said, “they were stewing their life in the juice of their complaints and were going on and on like that”.

Hence the reference to all of us. “I think”, he added, that “so often when , when we encounter the Cross, we too incur this risk of withdrawing into complaint”. Yet at that very moment the Lord is “close to us, though we do not recognize him. He walks beside us, though we do not recognize him. He speaks to us as well, although we do not hear him”. For us, the complaint is “something certain. It is my truth: failure. Hope is gone”. And with these thoughts the disciples continued on their way. “What did Jesus do? He was patient. First he listened and then slowly began to explain to them. In the end, he let them see him”. Jesus “does the same with us. Even in the darkest moments he is always beside us, he walks beside us. And in the end he reveals to us his presence”.
Complaining “is bad”, the Pope said, because “it does away with hope”. Pope Francis urged those present to resist entering “this game of living on complaint”. The Lord’s presence was made visible “when he broke the bread”. Then, the disciples could see “the wounds”, and then “he disappeared”. We must have hope and trust in God who “always moves with us along our path”, even at the darkest hour. “We may be sure”, he repeated, “we may be sure that the Lord never abandons us. Let us not seek refuge in complaint. It harms our heart”.

POPE FRANCIS
MORNING MEDITATION IN THE CHAPEL OF THEDOMUS SANCTAE MARTHAE
A life fed by hope
Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi / Most High Servant,
Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih / Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love 
(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

My vocation is Blessed and Saints.

"I am the most humble of all the Saints in Heaven" Mary, Mother of God."

"I am the handmaid of the Lord, said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me."

Mother Mary is the most humble Saint in Heaven and she is also the Mother of God for us all
(Luke 1:38)