Daily Readings - Sun Apr 12 2020

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

In today’s readings, we encounter the profound truth of the resurrection and its transformative power in our lives. The first reading from Acts presents Peter’s declaration of Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection, emphasizing that Jesus is the judge of all humanity. This passage underscores the universal call to believe in Christ, as Peter shares the Gospel with Cornelius, a Gentile, illustrating that salvation is for all people. The second reading from Colossians invites us to focus on heavenly things, reminding us that our true life is hidden with Christ and will be revealed when He appears in glory. This theological reflection encourages us to live in a way that reflects our union with the risen Lord. The Gospel from John vividly describes the discovery of the empty tomb, highlighting the disciples’ growing faith as they encounter the signs of Jesus’ resurrection. These readings are deeply interconnected, as they all point to the central truth of the resurrection. In Acts, Peter proclaims the resurrection as the foundation of faith, while in Colossians, the resurrection is the source of our hope and new life. John’s account of the empty tomb invites us to behold the tangible signs of Jesus’ victory over death. Together, these readings remind us that the resurrection is not merely a historical event but a living reality that shapes our understanding of God’s plan and our place in it. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How does the resurrection shape our daily lives? Just as Peter and the disciples were transformed by their encounter with the risen Lord, we too are called to live as people who have been raised with Christ. This means seeking the things that are above, as Colossians encourages, and living with hope and purpose, knowing that our true life is hidden with Christ. May we, like the disciples, come to believe more deeply in the power of the resurrection and allow it to transform our hearts and actions. In a world often filled with darkness and uncertainty, may we radiate the light and joy of the risen Christ, trusting in His promise to bring all things to glory.