Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 11, 2020
First Reading: Genesis 1.1, 26-31a
1In the beginning, God created heaven and earth26And he said: "Let us make Man to our image and likeness. And let him rule over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and the wild beasts, and the entire earth, and every animal that moves on the earth.27And God created man to his own image; to the image of God he created him; male and female, he created them28And God blessed them, and he said, "Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.29And God said: "Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant upon the earth, and all the trees that have in themselves the ability to sow their own kind, to be food for you30and for all the animals of the land, and for all the flying things of the air, and for everything that moves upon the earth and in which there is a living soul, so that they may have these on which to feed." And so it became31And God saw everything that he had made. And they were very good. And it became evening and morning, the sixth day
Psalm 104
1To David himself. Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are exceedingly great. You have clothed yourself with confession and beauty2you are dressed with light like a garment, while you stretch out heaven like a tent3You cover its heights with water. You set the clouds as your stairs. You walk upon the wings of the winds4You make your Angels a breath of life, and your ministers a burning fire5You founded the earth upon its stable base. It will not be bent from age to age6The abyss, like a garment, is its clothing. The waters will remain standing above the mountains7At your rebuke, they will flee. At the voice of your thunder, they will dread8The mountains ascend, and the plains descend, to the place which you have founded for them9You have set a limit that they will not cross. And they will not return to cover the earth10You spring forth fountains in steep valleys. The waters will cross through the midst of the mountains11All the wild beasts of the field will drink. The wild donkeys will anticipate in their thirst12Above them, the flying things of the air will dwell. From the midst of the rocks, they will utter voices13You irrigate the mountains from your heights. The earth will be satiated from the fruit of your works14producing grass for cattle and herbs for the service of men. So may you draw bread from the earth15and wine, in order to cheer the heart of man. Then he may gladden his face with oil, and bread will confirm the heart of man16The trees of the field will be saturated, along with the cedars of Lebanon, which he planted17There, the sparrows will make their nests. The leader of them is the house of the heron18The heights of the hills are for the deer; the rock is a refuge for the hedgehog19He has made the moon for seasons; the sun knows its setting20You appointed darkness, and it has become night; all the beasts of the forest will cross through it21The young lions will roar, while searching for and seizing their meal from God22The sun arose, and they were gathered together; and in their dens, they will lie down together23Man will go forth to his work and to his activities, until the evening24How great are your works, O Lord! You have made all things in wisdom. The earth has been filled with your possessions25This sea is great and its hands are spacious. There are creeping things without number: the small animals with the great26There, the ships will pass by this sea-serpent that you have formed to mock them27All these expect you to give them food in due time28What you give to them, they will gather. When you open your hand, they will all be filled with goodness29But if you turn your face away, they will be disturbed. You will take away their breath, and they will fail, and they will return to their dust30You will send forth your Spirit, and they will be created. And you will renew the face of the earth31May the glory of the Lord be for all ages. The Lord will rejoice in his works32He considers the earth, and he makes it tremble. He touches the mountains, and they smoke33I will sing to the Lord with my life. I will sing psalms to my God, as long as I am34May my speech be pleasing to him. Truly, I will take delight in the Lord35Let sinners fade away from the earth, along with the unjust, so that they may not be. Bless the Lord, O my soul
Second Reading: Romans 6.3-11
3Do you not know that those of us who have been baptized in Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death4For through baptism we have been buried with him into death, so that, in the manner that Christ rose from the dead, by the glory of the Father, so may we also walk in the newness of life5For if we have been planted together, in the likeness of his death, so shall we also be, in the likeness of his resurrection6For we know this: that our former selves have been crucified together with him, so that the body which is of sin may be destroyed, and moreover, so that we may no longer serve sin7For he who has died has been justified from sin8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live together with Christ9For we know that Christ, in rising up from the dead, can no longer die: death no longer has dominion over him10For in as much as he died for sin, he died once. But in as much as he lives, he lives for God11And so, you should consider yourselves to be certainly dead to sin, and to be living for God in Christ Jesus our Lord
Gospel: Matthew 28.1-10
1Now on the morning of the Sabbath, when it began to grow light on the first Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher2And behold, a great earthquake occurred. For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and as he approached, he rolled back the stone and sat down on it3Now his appearance was like lightning, and his vestment was like snow4Then, out of fear of him, the guards were terrified, and they became like dead men5Then the Angel responded by saying to the women: "Do not be afraid. For I know that you are seeking Jesus, who was crucified6He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where the Lord was placed7And then, go quickly, and tell his disciples that he has risen. And behold, he will precede you to Galilee. There you shall see him. Lo, I have told you beforehand.8And they went out of the tomb quickly, with fear and in great joy, running to announce it to his disciples9And behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Hail." But they drew near and took hold of his feet, and they adored him10Then Jesus said to them: "Do not be afraid. Go, announce it to my brothers, so that they may go to Galilee. There they shall see me.
Sermon
The readings today take us on a journey from creation to resurrection, inviting us to reflect on our identity, purpose, and ultimate hope. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the beautiful account of God creating humanity in his own image and likeness. This passage reminds us of our inherent dignity and the special role we have as stewards of creation. God’s words, “Let us make man to our image and likeness,” reveal his intimate love for us and the high esteem in which he holds us. This creation story is not just about the past; it is a timeless reminder of who we are and how we are called to live.
The second reading from Romans and the Gospel from Matthew deepen this reflection by revealing how our identity and purpose are transformed through Christ. In Romans, Paul explains that through baptism, we have been buried with Christ and risen to new life. This means we are no longer bound by sin but are called to live as children of God, walking in the “newness of life.” The Gospel then brings us to the culmination of this transformation: the resurrection of Jesus. The empty tomb and the angel’s words, “He has risen, just as he said,” are a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and the ultimate victory over sin and death. The women’s fear and joy, and their encounter with the risen Jesus, show us that the resurrection is not just an event of the past but a living reality that transforms our lives today.
These readings invite us to live with hope and purpose. Just as God entrusted humanity with the care of creation, he now calls us to live as new creations, bearing witness to his love and resurrection. In our daily lives, this means rejecting sin and embracing the freedom and joy of living for God. Let us remember that we are not just part of a creation story but are participants in the ongoing story of redemption. May we, like the women at the tomb, run to share the Good News with others, and may we, like the disciples, go to Galilee—back to our own places of mission—to encounter Christ anew and live as his followers.