Daily Readings - Mon Apr 10 2023
Acts
14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.22"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.23This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.25David said about him: "'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope,27because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'29"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
Matthew
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 readings, we encounter profound moments of faith and truth. From Acts, Peter stands before the crowd, proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. He uses David's prophecy to illustrate that Jesus' resurrection was foretold, emphasizing that Jesus, now at God's right hand, has sent the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. This moment captures the essence of Peter's transformed faith, from a disciple to a bold preacher of the Gospel.
In Matthew's Gospel, we witness the immediate aftermath of the resurrection. The women, filled with joy and fear, encounter the risen Jesus and are tasked with spreading the news. Meanwhile, the guards and priests conspire to deny the truth, bribing them to spread a lie. This narrative highlights the contrast between the truth of the resurrection and the attempts to suppress it, showcasing the lengths to which some will go to maintain their power.
These readings remind us that the truth of God's love and redemption, as seen in Jesus' resurrection, cannot be silenced. In our daily lives, we face similar challenges—moments where we must choose between truth and comfort, between integrity and convenience. The moral lesson here is clear: trust in God's truth, even when faced with opposition. Like Peter, we are called to be bold in our faith, trusting that God's truth will prevail. Let us embrace this truth, allowing it to transform our lives and guide our actions, just as it did for Peter and the early disciples.