Daily Readings - Mon Apr 21 2025

¹⁴But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and he spoke to them: "Men of Judea, and all those who are staying in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and incline your ears to my words²²Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus the Nazarene is a man confirmed by God among you through the miracles and wonders and signs that God accomplished through him in your midst, just as you also know²³This man, under the definitive plan and foreknowledge of God, was delivered by the hands of the unjust, afflicted, and put to death²⁴And he whom God has raised up has broken the sorrows of Hell, for certainly it was impossible for him to be held by it²⁵For David said about him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always in my sight, for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be moved²⁶Because of this, my heart has rejoiced, and my tongue has exulted. Moreover, my flesh shall also rest in hope²⁷For you will not abandon my soul to Hell, nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption²⁸You have made known to me the ways of life. You will completely fill me with happiness by your presence.²⁹Noble brothers, permit me to speak freely to you about the Patriarch David: for he passed away and was buried, and his sepulcher is with us, even to this very day³⁰Therefore, he was a prophet, for he knew that God had sworn an oath to him about the fruit of his loins, about the One who would sit upon his throne³¹Foreseeing this, he was speaking about the Resurrection of the Christ. For he was neither left behind in Hell, nor did his flesh see corruption³²This Jesus, God raised up again, and of this we are all witnesses³³Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured this out, just as you now see and hear

Matthew

Chapter 28

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.¹¹And when they had departed, behold, some of the guards went into the city, and they reported to the leaders of the priests all that had happened¹²And gathering together with the elders, having taken counsel, they gave an abundant sum of money to the soldiers¹³saying: "Say that his disciples arrived at night and stole him away, while we were sleeping¹⁴And if the procurator hears about this, we will persuade him, and we will protect you.¹⁵Then, having accepted the money, they did as they were instructed. And this word has been spread among the Jews, even to this day

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of faith, the truth of the resurrection, and the courage to proclaim it. In the first reading from Acts, Peter stands before the people of Jerusalem and boldly proclaims the resurrection of Jesus. He reminds them of the miracles and signs that confirmed Jesus as the Messiah, and he explains how the resurrection fulfills God’s plan and overcomes even death itself. Peter’s words are a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel, as he calls his listeners to recognize the truth of who Jesus is and what he has accomplished. In the Gospel, we see the immediate aftermath of the resurrection. The women, filled with fear and joy, encounter the risen Jesus and are commissioned to spread the news to the disciples. Meanwhile, the guards and religious leaders attempt to suppress the truth by bribing the soldiers to spread a false story about the disciples stealing Jesus’ body. This narrative reminds us that the resurrection has always faced opposition, but it also shows that no human effort can extinguish the truth of God’s plan. The women’s obedience and the guards’ deception reveal the human responses to divine revelation—some embrace it with faith, while others try to control or deny it. These readings call us to reflect on our own response to the resurrection. Like Peter, we are called to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ with courage and conviction, even in the face of opposition. Like the women, we are invited to embrace the joy and wonder of the resurrection, allowing it to transform our lives. And like the guards, we are reminded that our attempts to control or deny God’s plan are ultimately futile. Let us ask for the grace to stand firm in our faith, to trust in God’s plan, and to share the Good News with a world that so desperately needs it.