Daily Readings - Mon Apr 22 2019

¹⁴But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.²²"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know--²³this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.²⁴God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.²⁵For David says concerning him, "'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;²⁶therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.²⁷For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.²⁸You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.'²⁹"Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.³⁰Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne,³¹he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.³²This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.³³Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

Matthew

Chapter 28

⁸So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.⁹And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.¹⁰Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."¹¹While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place.¹²And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers¹³and said, "Tell people, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.'¹⁴And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble."¹⁵So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound mystery of Christ’s Resurrection and its implications for our lives. In the first reading from Acts, Peter addresses the crowd in Jerusalem, explaining the events of Jesus’ life, death, and Resurrection. He emphasizes that Jesus’ death was not an accident but part of God’s plan, and his Resurrection is the ultimate triumph over sin and death. Peter also connects Jesus to the prophecy of David, showing that the Resurrection was foretold and is the fulfillment of God’s promise. In the Gospel, Matthew describes the immediate aftermath of the Resurrection. The women, filled with a mix of fear and joy, encounter the risen Jesus and are instructed to tell the disciples to go to Galilee, where they will see him. Meanwhile, the guards at the tomb are bribed to spread a false story that Jesus’ disciples stole his body. This narrative highlights the contrast between the truth of the Resurrection and the attempts to suppress it, as well as the fear and doubt that often accompany great revelations. These readings remind us that the Resurrection is not just a historical event but a living reality that transforms our lives. Like the women and the disciples, we are called to move beyond fear and doubt to embrace the joy and hope that come from knowing that Christ has triumphed over death. In our daily lives, we encounter moments of uncertainty and darkness, but the Resurrection assures us that God’s plan is always one of life and redemption. Let us trust in this truth and allow it to guide us, even when the path seems unclear. The Resurrection is not just something we celebrate; it is something we live, for Christ’s victory over death is our victory too.