Daily Readings - Tue Apr 14 2020
Acts
36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
John
11But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,12And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.14And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.15Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of faith and response to the risen Christ. In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter's sermon at Pentecost leads to a transformative moment for the crowd. They are moved to repentance upon realizing Jesus' true identity, leading them to seek baptism and join the growing community of believers. This passage highlights the early church's dynamic growth and the power of proclamation.
In the Gospel of John, Mary Magdalene's encounter with Jesus at the tomb is deeply personal. Her grief turns to joy as she recognizes Jesus, who then commissions her to spread the news of his resurrection. This moment underscores the personal and transformative nature of encountering Christ, emphasizing the call to share this Good News with others.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our own encounters with Christ. Like the crowd at Pentecost, we are called to repentance and a deeper commitment to our faith. Like Mary, we are called to recognize Christ in our lives and to share this gift with others. May we respond with faith, allowing the risen Christ to transform us and inspire us to share His love with the world.