First Reading: 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.”
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:1-2A AND 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
R. (1) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Gospel: Matthew 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.
NAB
Take a deep breath. You made it. Through Lent. Through Easter Sunday. And now we have the season of Easter to celebrate as we approach the birth of the Church at Pentecost.
Easter Sunday began with Jesus presenting Himself to Mary and Mary. Mary Magdalene and the Other Mary were "fearful yet overjoyed." They found the tomb empty and even prior to seeing Jesus, they knew He had risen. They weren’t described as being confused or shocked or saddened. They had to have such a strong faith to not be discouraged by the absence of His body!
What a combination of emotions! Have you ever been fearful yet overjoyed? The last time I felt that was on a roller-coaster. I had a giddiness of joy mixed with the tinge of fear. My heart both raced and felt thrilled. I am sure that pales in comparison to their emotions, but it is as close as I can get and I wonder if that was what they felt as they left that tomb.
Can you imagine being the one to meet Jesus on the road after His resurrection? I wonder how long they met. I wonder if He took these beloved women into His arms. I wonder what private words He had for them. And then, to go and share the news with the others!
And such good news! This good news provided hope and direction to the disciples. Mary and Mary came not just with the knowledge that He had risen, but also with a plan. Go to Galilee. They brought with them a plan, a next step, and the news that Jesus would be seeing them all.
Just like the two Mary’s, we are sisters in Christ, and have been given with the task of spreading the Good News of Christ’s resurrection. For some of us that comes easy in our lives as friends, teachers, mothers, or Brides of Christ. For others of us, it may feel forced or uncomfortable to bring the Good News up in conversation. Still, we can all evangelize through our actions of love and kindness to those around us. Just as Lent is a time for us to die to ourselves, Easter is a time to awake and rise, and spread the Good News of Christ’s resurrection.
Does your life reflect hope and excitement for Christ? How can you spread the Good News of God’s love for us today?
MaryRuth Hackett is a full-time wife and mother doing her best to teach her four children to love God and country. You can find out more about her here.
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