Daily Readings - Tue Apr 19 2022

³⁶"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."³⁷When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"³⁸Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.³⁹The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."⁴⁰With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."⁴¹Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

John

Chapter 20

¹¹but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb¹²and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.¹³They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"¹⁴"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.¹⁵"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).¹⁷Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"¹⁸Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the transformative power of encountering God and the call to live as witnesses of His love. In the first reading from Acts, Peter addresses the crowd after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. His words pierce the hearts of the people, leading them to repentance and baptism. This moment marks the birth of the Church, as three thousand souls are added to the community of believers. The passage emphasizes the urgency of responding to God’s grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to live as children of God. In the Gospel, we find Mary Magdalene at the tomb, overcome with grief and confusion. Her encounter with the risen Jesus is deeply personal and transformative. When Jesus calls her name, she recognizes Him and is filled with joy. Yet, He tells her not to cling to Him but to go and share the news with the disciples. This moment highlights Mary’s role as the first witness to the resurrection and the importance of sharing the Good News with others. Both readings remind us that our faith is not just a personal experience but a call to mission. As we reflect on these passages, let us ask ourselves: How am I responding to God’s grace in my life? Am I open to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit? Like Mary Magdalene, are we willing to trust in God’s plan, even when it challenges our expectations? And like the early Church, are we living as witnesses of God’s love in the world? May we embrace the call to repentance, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and share the joy of the Gospel with others, just as Mary and the early disciples did.