Daily Readings - Mon Apr 21 2025
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of faith, the truth of the resurrection, and the courage to proclaim it. In the first reading from Acts, Peter stands before the people of Jerusalem and boldly proclaims the resurrection of Jesus. He reminds them of the miracles and signs that confirmed Jesus as the Messiah, and he explains how the resurrection fulfills God’s plan and overcomes even death itself. Peter’s words are a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel, as he calls his listeners to recognize the truth of who Jesus is and what he has accomplished.
In the Gospel, we see the immediate aftermath of the resurrection. The women, filled with 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 suppress the truth by bribing the soldiers to spread a false story about the disciples stealing Jesus’ body. This narrative reminds us that the resurrection has always faced opposition, but it also shows that no human effort can extinguish the truth of God’s plan. The women’s obedience and the guards’ deception reveal the human responses to divine revelation—some embrace it with faith, while others try to control or deny it.
These readings call us to reflect on our own response to the resurrection. Like Peter, we are called to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ with courage and conviction, even in the face of opposition. Like the women, we are invited to embrace the joy and wonder of the resurrection, allowing it to transform our lives. And like the guards, we are reminded that our attempts to control or deny God’s plan are ultimately futile. Let us ask for the grace to stand firm in our faith, to trust in God’s plan, and to share the Good News with a world that so desperately needs it.