Daily Readings - Mon Apr 05 2021
Acts
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:24Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.25For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:26Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:27Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.28Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.32This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Matthew
8And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.9And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.10Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.11Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.12And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,13Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.14And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.15So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that illuminate the profound impact of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The first reading from Acts presents Peter's impassioned speech to the crowd in Jerusalem, where he proclaims that Jesus's death and resurrection were part of God's divine plan. Peter uses the words of David from the Psalms to underscore that the Messiah would not remain in the grave, and he boldly declares that Jesus's resurrection is the fulfillment of this prophecy. This speech is a pivotal moment in the early Church, as Peter, once timid and uncertain, now stands with unwavering conviction, testifying to the truth of Christ's victory over death.
The Gospel reading from Matthew complements this by recounting the immediate aftermath of the Resurrection. The women, filled with a mix of fear and joy, encounter the risen Jesus, who calms their fears and commissions them to spread the news to the disciples. Meanwhile, the guards, attempting to suppress the truth, are bribed to spread a false narrative that the disciples stole Jesus's body. This contrast between the women's faithful obedience and the guards' deceit highlights the tension between light and darkness, truth and falsehood, that has marked human history since the Fall.
These readings remind us that the Resurrection is not merely an historical event but a living reality that shapes our lives today. Just as Peter and the women faced their fears and uncertainties, we too are called to trust in God's plan, even when circumstances seem daunting. The Resurrection assures us that God's power is greater than any human attempt to suppress or distort the truth. Let us, therefore, embrace the joy and hope that come from knowing that Christ has triumphed over death, and let us strive to live as witnesses to this truth, undeterred by the challenges and falsehoods we may encounter.