Daily Readings - Tue Apr 22 2025

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

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the transformative power of faith and the call to share the Good News with others. In the first reading from Acts, Peter’s sermon on Pentecost leads to a profound moment of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit, three thousand people repent, are baptized, and join the early Christian community. This passage highlights the urgency of responding to God’s call and the importance of living as witnesses to the Gospel. In the Gospel, John’s account of Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the risen Jesus beautifully illustrates the personal and intimate nature of faith. Mary’s deep love for Jesus leads her to the tomb, where she is met with the astonishing news of his resurrection. Her initial grief turns to joy as she recognizes Jesus and is commissioned to share the news with the disciples. This moment marks Mary as the first evangelist, showing that every believer is called to proclaim the Good News. These readings remind us that faith is not a private matter but a call to action. Like Peter and Mary, we are invited to embrace conversion, live with purpose, and share the joy of the Gospel with others. Let us ask for the courage to respond to God’s call in our own lives and to bear witness to the love and hope that Jesus brings.