Daily Readings - Thu Apr 04 2024
Acts
11While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's, astounded.12And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?13The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.14But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,15and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.16And his name--by faith in his name--has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.17"And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.18But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.19Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,20that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,21whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.22Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.23And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.'24And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.25You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'26God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness."
Luke
35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.36As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!"37But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.38And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?39See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.41And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"42They gave him a piece of broiled fish,43and he took it and ate before them.44Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,46and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.48You are witnesses of these things.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of faith, the call to repentance, and the fulfillment of God’s plan. In the first reading from Acts, Peter addresses the crowd after the healing of the lame man, emphasizing that the miracle was not by their own power but through faith in Jesus. He calls the people to repentance, linking Jesus to the prophets and the covenant promises. In the Gospel, Luke recounts Jesus appearing to the disciples after his resurrection, showing them his wounds and eating with them to confirm his bodily presence. He then opens their minds to understand the Scriptures, which foretold his suffering, resurrection, and the mission to preach repentance and forgiveness to all nations.
Both readings highlight the connection between faith and action. Peter’s speech in Acts shows how faith in Jesus leads to healing and transformation, while Jesus in Luke commissions the disciples to be witnesses of his resurrection and to spread the message of salvation. The context of these readings is crucial: Acts reflects the early church’s missionary spirit, while Luke’s account emphasizes the disciples’ transition from fear to understanding and mission. Together, they remind us that faith is not passive but active, leading us to share the Good News and live with compassion and courage.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to trust in God’s power, even when circumstances seem impossible. Like the lame man, we may feel broken or limited, but faith can restore us. Like the disciples, we may struggle with doubt or fear, but encountering Jesus can transform us. The moral lesson is clear: repentance and forgiveness are not just spiritual concepts but lived realities. As followers of Christ, we are called to be witnesses of his love and to share it with others. Let us embrace this call with humility, faith, and a willingness to be instruments of God’s healing and grace in the world.