Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 4, 2021
Psalm 118
1Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!2Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."3Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever."4Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures forever."5Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.6The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?7The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.8It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.9It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.10All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!11They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!12They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!13I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.14The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.15Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,16the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!"17I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.18The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.19Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.20This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.21I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.22The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.23This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.24This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.25Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!26Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.27The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!28You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.29Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
Gospel: John 20.1-9
1Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.2So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."3So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.4Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.5And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there,7and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.8Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;9for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
Sermon
In today’s Gospel, we witness the dramatic discovery of the empty tomb on that first Easter morning. Mary Magdalene, filled with grief and urgency, notices that the stone has been rolled away. She rushes to inform Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved. Their hurried journey to the tomb, with the other disciple reaching it first, sets the stage for a moment of profound faith. Upon entering the tomb, the disciple sees the neatly arranged linens and the separate cloth that had covered Jesus’ head. In that moment, he believes, even though he and Peter do not yet fully understand the Scriptures that foretold of Jesus’ resurrection.
This passage invites us to reflect on the interplay between doubt and faith. Mary’s initial alarm and the disciples’ haste reveal the confusion and uncertainty that often accompany moments of crisis. Yet, in the stillness of the tomb, the other disciple’s eyes are opened to the truth. The carefully placed linens and the separate cloth suggest an orderly and intentional act, not the chaotic aftermath of grave robbers. This detail speaks to the divine order of God’s plan, even when circumstances seem chaotic or unclear.
As we apply this to our daily lives, we are reminded that faith often begins in the midst of uncertainty. Like Mary and the disciples, we may encounter moments where the path ahead is shrouded in darkness. But it is precisely in these moments that we are called to trust in God’s plan, even when we do not fully understand it. The empty tomb is not just a historical event; it is a symbol of the hope that lies at the heart of our faith. Let us, like the other disciple, allow ourselves to see and believe, even when the road ahead seems uncertain. In doing so, we may discover that what initially seems like an ending is, in fact, a new beginning.