Daily Readings - Tue Apr 06 2021

³⁶Therefore, may the entire house of Israel know most certainly that God has made this same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.³⁷Now when they had heard these things, they were contrite in heart, and they said to Peter and to the other Apostles: "What should we do, noble brothers?³⁸Yet truly, Peter said to them: "Do penance; and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit³⁹For the Promise is for you and for your sons, and for all who are far away: for whomever the Lord our God will have called.⁴⁰And then, with very many other words, he testified and he exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this depraved generation.⁴¹Therefore, those who accepted his discourse were baptized. And about three thousand souls were added on that day

John

Chapter 20

¹¹But Mary was standing outside the tomb, weeping. Then, while she was weeping, she bowed down and gazed into the tomb¹²And she saw two Angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been placed, one at the head, and one at the feet¹³They say to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have placed him.¹⁴When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus¹⁵Jesus said to her: "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you seeking?" Considering that it was the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have moved him, tell me where you have placed him, and I will take him away.¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Mary!" And turning, she said to him, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher)¹⁷Jesus said to her: "Do not touch me. For I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brothers and tell them: ‘I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God.’ ¹⁸Mary Magdalene went, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord, and these are the things that he said to me.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the transformative power of encountering God and the call to share this encounter with others. In the first reading from Acts, Peter’s sermon to the crowd after Pentecost leads to a profound conversion: three thousand people are baptized and join the early Christian community. This moment marks the beginning of the Church as we know it, and it underscores the power of faith and repentance. Peter’s words cut to the heart of the people, moving them to seek forgiveness and a new life in Christ. In the Gospel, we find Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb, weeping and searching for Jesus. Her encounter with the risen Lord is deeply personal and emotional. When Jesus reveals himself to her, she is filled with joy and immediately runs to share the news with the disciples. Mary’s story reminds us that our faith is not just about personal belief but about proclamation. Just as Mary was sent to tell the disciples, we too are called to share the Good News with others. Both readings highlight the connection between faith and action. Peter’s audience is moved to repentance and baptism, while Mary is sent forth as a witness to the resurrection. In our own lives, we are called to respond to God’s presence with openness and courage. Like Mary, we may face uncertainty and even grief, but through faith, we can find hope and purpose. Let us allow the power of the Holy Spirit to transform us, and let us be bold in sharing the love and joy of Christ with those around us.