Daily Readings - Tue Apr 11 2023

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

In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of response to God's divine action. The first reading from Acts 2:36-41 captures Peter's impassioned speech to the crowd after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Moved by conviction, the people repent, leading to the baptism of three thousand, marking a significant expansion of the early Church. The Gospel, John 20:11-18, presents Mary Magdalene's encounter with the risen Jesus. Mistaking him for a gardener, she is overcome with emotion until Jesus reveals himself, commissioning her to spread the news to the disciples. Both readings highlight the context of pivotal moments in Christian history. Peter's speech occurs in the immediate aftermath of Pentecost, a time of spiritual awakening and communal formation. Mary's encounter is set in the aftermath of the resurrection, a moment of profound revelation. These events underscore the transformative power of God's presence and the call to action that follows. These passages connect through the theme of response to divine intervention. Peter's call to repentance and Mary's mission to announce the resurrection illustrate how individuals and communities are moved to act in faith. They remind us that our faith is not passive but active, requiring us to respond with openness and courage. In our daily lives, we are called to emulate this responsiveness. Like Peter, we must be willing to repent and embrace God's grace. Like Mary, we must share the Good News with others, whether through words or actions. These readings encourage us to be attentive to God's presence and to take faith-inspired steps in our lives. As we reflect on these readings, may we be open to God's presence and promptings. Let us embrace the call to repentance and the mission to share the Good News, living out our faith with courage and joy.