Gospel: April 1, 2024
(Monday)
Octave of Easter, Monday
Psalter: Proper / (White)
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 16: 1-2a & 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
1st Reading: Acts 2: 14, 22-33
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and, with a loud voice, addressed them, “Fellow Jews and all foreigners now staying in Jerusalem, listen to what I have to say. Fellow Israelites, listen to what I am going to tell you about Jesus of Nazareth. God accredited him and through him did powerful deeds and wonders and signs in your midst, as you well know. You delivered him to sinners to be crucified and killed, and, in this way, the purpose of God, from all times, was fulfilled. But God raised him to life and released him from the pain of death; because it was impossible for him to be held in the power of death. David spoke of him when he said: I saw the Lord before me at all times; he is by my side, that I may not be shaken. Therefore, my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; my body, too, will live in hope. Because you will not forsake me in the abode of the dead, nor allow your Holy One to experience corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life, and your presence will fill me with joy.
Friends, I don’t need to prove that the patriarch David died and was buried; his tomb is with us to this day. But he knew, that God had sworn to him, that one of his descendants would sit upon his throne and, as he was a prophet, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah. So he said, that he would not be left in the region of the dead, nor would his body experience corruption.
This Messiah is Jesus; and we are all witnesses that God raised him to life. He has been exalted at God’s right side; and the Father has entrusted the Holy Spirit to him; this Spirit, he has just poured upon us, as you now see and hear.
Gospel: Matthew 28: 8-15
In fear, yet with great joy, the women left the tomb and ran to tell the news to his disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met them on the way and said, “Rejoice!” The women approached him, embraced his feet and worshiped him. But Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid! Go and tell my brothers to set out for Galilee; there, they will see me.”
As the women proceeded on their way, some of the guards went in to the city, and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests met with the elders, and decided to give the soldiers a large sum of money, with this order, “Say that his disciples came by night while you were asleep, and stole the body of Jesus. If Pilate comes to know of this, we will explain the situation and keep you out of trouble.” The soldiers accepted the money and did as they were told. This story has circulated among the Jews until this day.
Reflection:“Called to be holy”
We continue our journey of faith during this Easter season. Our hearts are filled with joy because the Lord Jesus, through the power of his resurrection, has given us a new life. Christ’s resurrection gives us courage and boldness to lead a holy life. But antiresurrection forces also exist around us, pulling us back to our old self. These forces make us believe that a life with the resurrected Lord is not possible. However, we know that a life of holiness is already made possible by Jesus’ triumph over sin and death. We are called to be holy. Moreover, a holy life abhors lies and resist any temptation to be an instrument of falsehood. In today’s Gospel, on the one hand, the women who saw the resurrected Lord were overjoyed. They embraced Jesus’ feet and worshiped him. On the other hand, the guards who reported to the chief priests all that had happened, failed to receive the Easter joy. Why? It is because they allowed themselves to be used by the evil machinations of lies and falsehood. They decided to be agents of untruthfulness for the sake of money offered them. Easter people worship the Lord and not anything else.
