Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 2, 2018
Psalm 16
1Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.2I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."3As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.4The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.5LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.6The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.7I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.8I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.9Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,10because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.11You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Gospel: Matthew 28.8-15
8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.9Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.12When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money,13telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.'14If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble."15So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Sermon
In today’s Gospel, we witness the profound moment of the resurrection through the eyes of the women who visited Jesus’ tomb. They encountered an angel who announced Jesus’ resurrection, and as they hurried to share this joyous news with the disciples, they met the risen Lord Himself. Jesus greeted them warmly and instructed them to inform His brothers to gather in Galilee, where He would appear to them. Meanwhile, the guards, fearing repercussions, were bribed by the religious leaders to spread a false narrative that Jesus’ disciples had stolen His body during their sleep. This lie, though baseless, has persisted among some to this day.
This passage highlights the contrasting reactions to the resurrection: the women’s fear and joy turning into faith and obedience, while the religious leaders resorted to deceit to maintain their power. The women’s role as the first messengers of the Gospel underscores their trustworthiness and the significance of their witness. Conversely, the leaders’ actions reveal the human tendency to cling to control and status, even through dishonest means.
In our daily lives, we often face moments of doubt and fear, much like the women and disciples. Yet, the resurrection reminds us of God’s triumph over darkness and death. Like the women, we are called to trust in God’s plan and spread the Good News, even when faced with skepticism or opposition. The moral lesson here is clear: in times of uncertainty, we must hold fast to our faith and trust in God’s providence. Let us strive to be truthful witnesses of God’s love, just as the women were, and may we find the courage to share the Gospel with a world in need of hope.