Reading 1
Acts 2:14, 22-33
On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven,
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
“You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem.
Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
“You who are children of Israel, hear these words.
Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God
with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs,
which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.
This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God,
you killed, using lawless men to crucify him.
But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death,
because it was impossible for him to be held by it.
For David says of him:
I saw the Lord ever before me,
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted;
my flesh, too, will dwell in hope,
because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.
My brothers, one can confidently say to you
about the patriarch David that he died and was buried,
and his tomb is in our midst to this day.
But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him
that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne,
he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,
that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld
nor did his flesh see corruption.
God raised this Jesus;
of this we are all witnesses.
Exalted at the right hand of God,
he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit
that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear.”
Gospel
Mt 28:8-15
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb,
fearful yet overjoyed,
and ran to announce the news to his disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.
They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid.
Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,
and there they will see me.”
While they were going, some of the guard went into the city
and told the chief priests all that had happened.
The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel;
then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
telling them, “You are to say,
‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’
And if this gets to the ears of the governor,
we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”
The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.
And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.
Meditation: Acts 2:14,22-33
God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. (Acts 2:32)
Remember a time when you had exciting news? You couldn’t wait to tell the family or a close friend. You walked with an extra bounce in your step. Smiling came easy, and your heart was filled with hope. Well, today we have more than enough of a reason to not be silent: Jesus is risen from the dead! He triumphed over sin and broke the chains of death. Now he offers a new life to all of us. Because of the miracle of Easter, it is clear that nothing is impossible for God.
Everyone needs to have something to hope in. The problem is that the world tells us to limit our hopes to this world—the hope for a peaceful life, the hope for a better future for our children, the hope that we can get ahead a little bit in the world. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with these hopes and dreams, but they don’t satisfy the deepest yearnings of our hearts. Only Jesus and his promise of the resurrection can do that. And only Jesus can give meaning to the other hopes we cherish.
God wants to open our eyes to the beauty of a life lived in and through his Son. He wants to show us a life that includes the mysteries and wonders of heaven along with a sense of vision and purpose for our earthly lives.
Peter was so excited because something new and wonderful had touched his life. As we recall how Jesus has touched our lives, we will feel compelled to share our own sense of hope and excitement with the people around us. And likewise, the more we step out of our comfort zones to talk about Jesus, the more excited we will become. Why? Because just as Peter discovered, there is power in the message of the gospel. People’s lives change when they hear it—even if it comes from everyday people like ourselves. So don’t be afraid to tell people about God’s love. Don’t be afraid to tell people about how Jesus’ resurrection can overcome fear and sin in them. People are longing for the answer—and you can give it to them!
“Jesus, risen Lord, give me the boldness to share the good news of your victory today. Help me to not stay silent but to proclaim that you are our best and brightest hope!”
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