Daily Readings - Sat Apr 15 2023
Acts
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.16"What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it.17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.19But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
Mark
9When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.10She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.11When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.12Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.13These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.14Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter the early Christian community grappling with the challenges of spreading the Gospel message. The first reading from Acts 4:13-21 describes Peter and John standing before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, after they had healed a man in the name of Jesus. The authorities, while acknowledging the miracle, sought to silence them, fearing the spread of Jesus’ teachings. Peter and John, filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly declared that they could not keep silent about what they had seen and heard, even in the face of threats. Their courage in the face of adversity serves as a powerful witness to the transformative power of faith.
The Gospel reading from Mark 16:9-15 shifts our focus to the Resurrection, where Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene, then to two disciples on the road, and finally to the eleven remaining apostles. Despite these appearances, the disciples struggle with disbelief, a common human response to the extraordinary. Jesus, however, does not abandon them in their doubt. Instead, he commissions them to “go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” This Great Commission reminds us that even in our own moments of uncertainty, we are called to share the Good News with courage and trust in God’s plan.
These readings remind us that faith often requires us to step out of our comfort zones and confront challenges with boldness. Just as Peter, John, and the disciples faced skepticism and fear, we too may encounter resistance or doubt in our lives. Yet, like them, we are called to trust in the power of God’s Word and to share it with others, even when it is difficult. Let us ask for the grace to be fearless in our witness, to trust in the truth of the Gospel, and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in living out our faith with integrity and love.