Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 11, 2020
First Reading: Genesis 1.1, 26-31a
1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.26Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.28And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."29And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.30And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.31And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Psalm 104
1Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire.5He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.10You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.14You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart.16The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.19He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting.20You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening.24O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.27These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.31May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!
Second Reading: Romans 6.3-11
3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.7For one who has died has been set free from sin.8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.9We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Gospel: Matthew 28.1-10
1Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.2And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.4And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.5But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.6He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.7Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you."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."
Sermon
The readings today take us on a journey from creation to resurrection, inviting us to reflect on our identity, purpose, and ultimate hope. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the beautiful account of God creating humanity in his own image and likeness. This passage reminds us of our inherent dignity and the special role we have as stewards of creation. God’s words, “Let us make man to our image and likeness,” reveal his intimate love for us and the high esteem in which he holds us. This creation story is not just about the past; it is a timeless reminder of who we are and how we are called to live.
The second reading from Romans and the Gospel from Matthew deepen this reflection by revealing how our identity and purpose are transformed through Christ. In Romans, Paul explains that through baptism, we have been buried with Christ and risen to new life. This means we are no longer bound by sin but are called to live as children of God, walking in the “newness of life.” The Gospel then brings us to the culmination of this transformation: the resurrection of Jesus. The empty tomb and the angel’s words, “He has risen, just as he said,” are a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and the ultimate victory over sin and death. The women’s fear and joy, and their encounter with the risen Jesus, show us that the resurrection is not just an event of the past but a living reality that transforms our lives today.
These readings invite us to live with hope and purpose. Just as God entrusted humanity with the care of creation, he now calls us to live as new creations, bearing witness to his love and resurrection. In our daily lives, this means rejecting sin and embracing the freedom and joy of living for God. Let us remember that we are not just part of a creation story but are participants in the ongoing story of redemption. May we, like the women at the tomb, run to share the Good News with others, and may we, like the disciples, go to Galilee—back to our own places of mission—to encounter Christ anew and live as his followers.