Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 1, 2024
First Reading: Acts 2.14, 22-33
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.
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of God’s plan and the truth of the Resurrection. In the first reading from Acts, Peter stands before the crowd in Jerusalem and proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ. He reminds them that Jesus, though crucified, was raised by God, fulfilling the promises of Scripture. Peter’s words are bold and clear, pointing to the Resurrection as the ultimate proof of God’s love and power. This passage captures the excitement and conviction of the early Christian community, which had just experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
In the Gospel, we see the immediate aftermath of the Resurrection. The women, filled with a mix of fear and joy, encounter the risen Jesus and are commissioned to spread the news to the disciples. Meanwhile, the guards and religious leaders attempt to cover up the truth by bribing the soldiers to spread a false story. This contrast between the women’s faith and the leaders’ deceit highlights the ongoing struggle between light and darkness, truth and lies. The Resurrection is not just an event; it is a call to trust in God’s plan, even when the world around us seems determined to obscure it.
These readings remind us that we, too, are called to live as witnesses to the Resurrection. Like Peter, we must be bold in sharing the truth of Christ, even in the face of opposition. Like the women, we must allow our hearts to be filled with joy and trust, even when the road ahead seems uncertain. In a world that often tries to diminish or deny the power of God, we are called to stand firm in our faith. Let us embrace the hope of the Resurrection and allow it to transform our lives, so that we may bear witness to the love and truth of God in all we do.