Daily Readings - Sun Apr 21 2019

³⁴Then, Peter, opening his mouth, said: "I have concluded in truth that God is not a respecter of persons³⁷You know that the Word has been made known throughout all Judea. For beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached³⁸Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, traveled around doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil. For God was with him³⁹And we are witnesses of all that he did in the region of Judea and in Jerusalem, he whom they killed by hanging him on a tree⁴⁰God raised him up on the third day and permitted him to be made manifest⁴¹not to all the people, but to the witnesses preordained by God, to those of us who ate and drank with him after he rose again from the dead⁴²And he instructed us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the One who was appointed by God to be the judge of the living and of the dead⁴³To him all the Prophets offer testimony that through his name all who believe in him receive the remission of sins.

First Reading - Colossians 3.1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5.6b-8

Colossians

Chapter 3

¹Therefore, if you have risen together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God²Consider the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth³For you have died, and so your life is hidden with Christ in God⁴When Christ, your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory

1 Corinthians

Chapter 5

⁶It is not good for you to glory. Do you not know that a little leaven corrupts the entire mass⁷Purge the old leaven, so that you may become the new bread, for you are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover, has now been immolated⁸And so, let us feast, not with the old leaven, not with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth

John

Chapter 20

¹Then on the first Sabbath, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb²Therefore, she ran and went to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, "They have taken the Lord away from the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.³Therefore, Peter departed with the other disciple, and they went to the tomb⁴Now they both ran together, but the other disciple ran more quickly, ahead of Peter, and so he arrived at the tomb first⁵And when he bowed down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not yet enter⁶Then Simon Peter arrived, following him, and he entered the tomb, and he saw the linen cloths lying there⁷and the separate cloth which had been over his head, not placed with the linen cloths, but in a separate place, wrapped up by itself⁸Then the other disciple, who had arrived first at the tomb, also entered. And he saw and believed⁹For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that it was necessary for him to rise again from the dead

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound mystery of Christ’s resurrection and its transformative power in our lives. In the first reading from Acts, Peter proclaims the universal message of salvation, emphasizing that God does not show favoritism and that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the fulfillment of God’s plan. This passage reminds us that the Gospel is for all people, and it calls us to be witnesses of Christ’s love and redemption. The second reading from Colossians encourages us to live with our hearts set on heavenly things, for our true life is hidden with Christ in God. This is a call to detach ourselves from worldly concerns and to seek what truly lasts. In the Gospel, John’s account of the empty tomb highlights the astonishment and faith of the disciples as they encounter the reality of the resurrection. The carefully folded linens and the separate cloth suggest order and purpose, hinting at the divine plan behind Christ’s rising. These readings are deeply interconnected. Peter’s testimony in Acts flows from the event of the resurrection, which is the foundation of our faith. The Colossians reading builds on this by urging us to live in the light of Christ’s victory over death. The Gospel narrative of the empty tomb serves as the historical and spiritual anchor for both. Together, they remind us that the resurrection is not just an event of the past but a living reality that shapes our present and future. As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Are we living as people who have been raised with Christ? Do we seek the things that are above, or are we still mired in earthly concerns? The resurrection calls us to hope, to trust in God’s plan, and to live with joy and purpose. Like the disciples, we are called to enter the tomb of our fears, doubts, and limitations, and to emerge with renewed faith and courage. Let us allow the power of the resurrection to transform us, so that we may bear witness to Christ’s love in a world that so desperately needs it.