MEMORIAL OF SAINT LOUIS-MARIE GRIGNON DE MONTFORT, PRIEST; SAINT PETER CHANEL, PRIEST AND MARTYR AND SAINT GIANNA BERETTA MOLLA ~ FEAST DAY: APRIL 28TH 2026

TUESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF EASTER | YEAR A | APRIL 28, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/tuesday-of-the-fourth-week-of-easter-year-a-april-28-2026/

SAINTS OF THE DAY | APRIL 28, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-april-28th/

MEMORIAL OF SAINT LOUIS-MARIE GRIGNON DE MONTFORT, PRIEST; SAINT PETER CHANEL, PRIEST AND MARTYR AND SAINT GIANNA BERETTA MOLLA, PRO-LIFE PHYSICIAN & MOTHER

History of the Saints | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | April 28 2026 | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-daily-mass-april-28-2026/

LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo XIV’s Historic Apostolic Journey to Africa | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/live-updates-pope-leo-xivs-historic-apostolic-journey-to-africa/

DAILY PRAYERS: St. Michael the Archangel Prayer; Regina Caeli Prayer; and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Prayer | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/st-michael-the-archangel-prayer-angelus-prayer-and-the-chaplet-of-divine-mercy-prayer/

Pope Leo XIV’s Historic Apostolic Journey to Africa | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/live-updates-pope-leo-xivs-historic-apostolic-journey-to-africa/

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Greetings and blessings, beloved family.

Alleluia! My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. Today is Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter, a day that celebrates the unshakable security we find in the hands of the Good Shepherd. In the Gospel, set against the winter chill of the Portico of Solomon, Jesus speaks with absolute clarity: His sheep are those who recognize His voice and follow Him. He offers us the ultimate Easter promise, that because we are held by both the Son and the Father, we shall never perish, and no power in heaven or on earth can snatch us away. In this final Tuesday of April, we see the Shepherd’s voice reaching across boundaries in the First Reading. The persecution that once scattered the believers becomes the very means by which the Gospel reaches Antioch. It is here, through the encouragement of Barnabas and the teaching of Saul, that the disciples are first called Christians. We are joined today by a powerful trio of witnesses: Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, who taught us to find Jesus through Mary; Saint Peter Chanel, the first martyr of Oceania; and Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, the mother and physician who laid down her life for her child. Like the nations praised in the Psalm, let us rejoice that our true home is within the heart of God. Amen. 🙏🏽

BIBLE READINGS FOR TODAY’S HOLY MASS:

Fourth Week of Easter | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter | April 28, 2026
Reading I: Acts 11:19–26
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 87:1b–3, 4–5, 6–7
Gospel: John 10:22–30

Gospel Reading ~ John 10:22–30

“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.”

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

In the Gospel, we find Jesus walking in the Portico of Solomon during the cold of winter, facing an interrogation of suspense. The crowd asks for a plain sign, but Jesus reveals that the problem is not a lack of evidence, but a lack of belonging. To believe is to be one of His sheep. This reflection focuses on the dual security of the believer: we are held in the hand of Jesus and the hand of the Father. This is an image of absolute safety. In a world where we fear losing our health, our status, or our loved ones, Jesus promises that the one thing that truly matters, our eternal life, is guarded by the One who is greater than all.

The unity of the Father and the Son is the foundation of this security. When we hear the Shepherd’s voice, we are hearing the voice of the Creator. Following Him is not a blind leap into the dark, but a response to the works He has already done. His sheep follow Him because they recognize that His hand is not one of coercion, but of sustaining grace. No wolf, no winter of the soul, and no earthly power can snatch us away from the unity of the Godhead.

The First Reading shows the Good Shepherd working through the Good Man, Barnabas. The persecution that scattered the Church did not destroy it; it acted like a wind that blew the seeds of the Gospel to Antioch. Here, the other sheep (the Greeks) begin to turn to the Lord in great numbers. This passage highlights the importance of firmness of heart. Barnabas does not just celebrate the growth; he encourages the new believers to remain faithful. The fact that the name Christian was coined here suggests that the disciples had become so like Christ that the world had to invent a new word to describe them.

The Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 87) is a festive celebration of this global expansion: “All you nations, praise the Lord.” It describes Zion (the Church) as the mother of all peoples. Whether born in Egypt, Babylon, or Ethiopia, every believer finds their true birthright in the city of God. It echoes the scene in Antioch where barriers of nationality were dissolved by the Holy Spirit. To say My home is within you is to acknowledge that our true identity is not found in our earthly geography, but in our belonging to the One and all born in the Most High.

As we go through this Tuesday, let us reflect on our own identity as Christians. Reflect today: Does your life testify to the Shepherd so plainly that others recognize whose you are? Are you living in the suspense of fear, or the security of being held in the Father’s hand? This is the day to listen for His voice over the winter winds of your worries. Trust that the hand of the Lord is with you just as it was with the believers in Antioch, leading you to a home that can never be taken away.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, You and the Father are one, and in Your hand, we find our eternal safety. We thank You for the grace of the Gospel that has reached us across nations and generations. Forgive us for the times we have lived in doubt, as if we could be snatched away from Your love. Fill us with the Holy Spirit, as You did Barnabas, that we may be good witnesses, firm in heart and faithful in deed. May all nations praise You through the way we live our lives as Christians today. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

SAINTS OF THE DAY | APRIL 28TH:

Link to Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections| April 28th https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com

Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, Saint Peter Chanel, and Saint Gianna Beretta Molla | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-april-28th/

SAINT LOUIS-MARIE DE MONTFORT, PRIEST: Saint Louis-Marie (1673–1716) was an Apostolic Missionary who understood that the surest way into the hand of Jesus is through the heart of His Mother. With his motto Totus Tuus (I am all yours), he walked hundreds of miles to serve the poor and preach the Rosary. Like the disciples in Antioch, he faced persecution because of the Word, yet he remained a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit. He teaches us that when we entrust ourselves to Mary, we are held more firmly in the hand of the Son.

PRAYER: Lord, You directed the footsteps of Saint Louis-Marie in the way of salvation and the love of Christ. Grant that, following his example and accompanied by the Blessed Virgin, we may meditate on the mysteries of Your love and strive to build up Your Church. Amen. 🙏🏽

SAINT PETER CHANEL, PRIEST AND MARTYR: Saint Peter Chanel (1803–1841) was the Protomartyr of Oceania and a true shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. Sent to the remote island of Futuna, he labored in a winter of indifference until he was clubbed to death by those he came to save. His blood became the seed of Christians, for within months of his death, the entire island turned to the Lord. He proves that the hand of the Lord is with His missionaries, turning even the violence of the world into a harvest of grace.

PRAYER: God, in order to spread Your Church, You crowned Saint Peter Chanel with martyrdom. Grant that in these paschal joys, we may so frequent the mysteries of Christ’s Death and Resurrection as to become witnesses of the new life among all nations. Amen. 🙏🏽

SAINT GIANNA BERETTA MOLLA, MOTHER: Saint Gianna (1922–1962) was a pediatrician and mother who lived the Gospel of the Good Shepherd in its most literal sense. When faced with a life-threatening pregnancy, she told her doctors, If you must decide between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child. In giving her life so her daughter could live, she mirrored the sacrificial love of Jesus, who gives eternal life so that His own shall “never perish.” She remains a beacon for the dignity of every human life.

PRAYER: Lord, we thank You for the heroic witness of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla. Through her intercession, protect all expectant mothers and the unborn. Grant us the courage to choose life in all circumstances and to trust that we are forever held in Your Fatherly hand. Amen. 🙏🏽

Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, Saint Peter Chanel, and Saint Gianna Beretta Molla — pray for us. 🙏🏽

PRAYER INTENTION: FOR MOTHERS, MISSIONARIES, AND THE DEFENSE OF LIFE

As we rejoice that the hand of the Lord is with us, let us bring our needs to the Father through these holy intercessors. Lord, we pray for all expectant mothers, the unborn, and healthcare professionals; through the intercession of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, grant them safety, wisdom, and a profound reverence for the gift of life. May every mother feel the support of the one flock and every child be welcomed as a blessing from Your hand. We pray for missionaries and those preaching in difficult lands; through the merits of Saint Peter Chanel (Patron of Oceania), protect them from harm and grant that their labors may bring many to be enrolled in the city of God. May those who are scattered by modern persecutions find firmness of heart and the joy of the Holy Spirit. Finally, we pray for the grace of total abandonment to Your will; through the teaching of Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, help us to say “Totus Tuus” to Your Son. May the gates of Zion be our true home, and may we never perish but dwell forever in the unity of the Father and the Son. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

PRAYER FOR PEACE | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/a-prayer-for-peace/

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2026: FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL: For Priests Crisis. Let us pray for priests going through moments of crisis in their vocation, that they may find the accompaniment they need and that communities may support them with understanding and prayer.

(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF APRIL | MONTH OF HOLY EUCHARIST: April is dedicated to the Holy Eucharist, the greatest gift of Christ to His Church. In the Eucharist, Jesus is truly present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity offering Himself as the Bread of Life. This month invites us to deepen our love and reverence for the Eucharist, especially during Holy Week and Easter, celebrating the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord. The Eucharist was instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper when He said, “Take and eat; this is My Body… Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the Covenant” (Matthew 26:26-28). In receiving the Eucharist, we are united with Christ and His Church. It is the source of our strength and the culmination of our salvation, as Christ Himself said in John 6:51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” As we journey through Lent, we are called to renew our reverence for the Eucharist. During Holy Week, we remember that Christ instituted this sacrament on Holy Thursday, offering us a way to remain in union with Him. Let us take this opportunity to attend Mass regularly, spend time in Eucharistic adoration, and reflect on the mystery of Christ’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

In this season of penance and reflection, may our devotion to the Eucharist strengthen our commitment to living as true disciples of Christ, leading us to the joy of Easter and the Resurrection.

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine! Lord Jesus, You have given Yourself to us in the Eucharist. May we receive You with reverence and love, and let Your grace transform us always. Amen 🙏🏽

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/month.cfm?y=2026&m=4

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD
We pray for the repose of the gentle souls of our loved ones and souls of all the faithful departed. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏🏽

Thanking God for His love and the gift of this glorious day, we offer Him a prayer of gratitude for the graces of the past month and entrust the remainder of April to His loving providence. We pray for God’s grace and mercy as we continue this season of Easter joy. May the Resurrection of Your Son help us to seek You in every moment of our lives. May the peace, hope, and steady guidance that flow from the empty tomb shape our steps, inform our decisions, and strengthen our resolve to live each day in the light of the Risen Christ. As we journey onward into this month, may God bless our families and loved ones, and may His light continue to shine brightly in every home. Let us draw closer to God and be renewed through the joy of the Gospel and generosity to the poor. May God keep us all safe and well during these challenging times. Wishing us all a spiritually enriching, most blessed, and grace-filled Easter Season. Amen. 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, Saint Peter Chanel, and Saint Gianna Beretta Molla ~ Pray for us 🙏🏾

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Jesus, I trust in you! Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

DEVOTIONAL RESOURCES

A Guide to Catholic Prayer & Faith Resources: Prayers, Devotions, Teachings,and the Liturgical Year | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-prayer-faith-resources/

Catholic Mission & Witness: Foundations, Media Features, Global Outreach and Podcast Interview | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-mission-witness-foundations-media-features-and-global-outreach/

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/