Reading 1
Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Peter proceeded to speak and said:
“You know what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.
We are witnesses of all that he did
both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible,
not to all the people, but to us,
the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commissioned us to preach to the people
and testify that he is the one appointed by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in him
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Reading 2
Col 3:1-4
Brothers and sisters:
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.
Gospel
Jn 20:1-9
Jn 20:1-9
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.
Meditation: John 20:1-9
The Resurrection of the Lord
On this feast of the resurrection, let’s review a bit of history, so that we can get a glimpse of everything Jesus won for us on Easter Sunday. Throughout the Old Testament, we can see clues that point us to the resurrection of Jesus. For instance, Genesis speaks of a coming one who will crush the serpent, even as the serpent bruises him (Genesis 3:15). We read also about waters of judgment that cleanse the earth of sin (6:7). In the Book of Isaiah, we read about a suffering servant who will be despised and rejected, yet whose suffering takes away our sins (Isaiah 53:12).
Over and over again, these verses foreshadow a new life for us—a life free from the serpent’s wiles, a life that rises above corruption and violence, a life without guilt and shame. And by faith, we know that this life is now ours for the taking because of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead!
For the past forty days, we have pondered the cross and everything that Jesus accomplished by his death. Now come the days of celebration and fulfillment. Now comes the great fifty-day Easter season, a time to ponder and participate in the new life that Jesus has freely given to us.
At Pentecost, Peter announced that Jesus, exalted to God’s right hand, has received the Holy Spirit, and that he has now poured this Spirit out on the apostles. What’s more, Peter said, this gift of the Spirit is for everyone who believes and is baptized (Acts 2:33,38).
Brothers and sisters, Jesus is still alive in heaven. He is still pouring out his Spirit on us today. He is still giving us the power to live a wonderful life that is holy and pleasing to him. So on this great day, as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, let’s praise him also for raising us with him so that we can walk with him each and every day!
“Thank you, Lord, for raising us up to heaven with you. How can we possibly fathom such love? May we all receive your grace to live in the power of the resurrection.”
Questions for Individual Reflection or Group Discussion
Acts 10:34,37-43, Colossians 3:1-4, Psalm 118:1-2,16-17,22-23, John 20:1-9
1. In the first reading, Peter presents a clear presentation of the basic Gospel message to the gentile, Cornelius, and his relatives and friends. The result is that they are all converted and filled with the Holy Spirit – a powerful demonstration of the power of the Gospel when it is spoken clearly. What part of Peter’s talk stood out most to you? If the opportunity arose for you to present the basic Gospel message to someone or to a group, what would you say? If this would be a struggle for you, what steps can you take to prepare yourself for these opportunities?
2. The Responsorial Psalm 118 is a beautiful psalm that points prophetically to the mission and work of Jesus? Verses 22-23 of this psalm are “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord, has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.” Why do you think this verse is then followed by the words, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad”?
3. How would you apply the second reading from the Epistle to the Colossians to how we should live out each day? What steps can you take to “Think of what is above, not what is on earth” (Colossians 3:2)? What do you think the following words mean? “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (3:3).
4. In the Gospel reading, how would you characterize Peter and John’s reaction to the empty tomb? The empty tomb had a profound impact on both of their lives. How has the truth of the empty tomb affected your life?
5. In the mediation, we hear these words: “Brothers, Jesus is still alive in heaven. He is still pouring out his Spirit on us today. He is still giving us the power to live a wonderful life that is holy and pleasing to him.” Do you believe these words? Why or why not? In what way did your Lenten practices make a difference in your living this new life in Christ?
6. If you are in a small group, pray for one another to receive more deeply the peace, love, joy, and freedom that Jesus won for you through the power of his death and resurrection. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as a starting point.
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