Daily Readings - Sun Apr 01 2018

First Reading - Acts 10.34a, 37-43

³⁴Then, Peter, opening his mouth, said: "I have concluded in truth that God is not a respecter of persons³⁷You know that the Word has been made known throughout all Judea. For beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached³⁸Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, traveled around doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil. For God was with him³⁹And we are witnesses of all that he did in the region of Judea and in Jerusalem, he whom they killed by hanging him on a tree⁴⁰God raised him up on the third day and permitted him to be made manifest⁴¹not to all the people, but to the witnesses preordained by God, to those of us who ate and drank with him after he rose again from the dead⁴²And he instructed us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the One who was appointed by God to be the judge of the living and of the dead⁴³To him all the Prophets offer testimony that through his name all who believe in him receive the remission of sins.

Second Reading - Colossians 3.1-4

Colossians

Chapter 3

¹Therefore, if you have risen together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God²Consider the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth³For you have died, and so your life is hidden with Christ in God⁴When Christ, your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory

Gospel - John 20.1-9

John

Chapter 20

¹Then on the first Sabbath, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb²Therefore, she ran and went to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, "They have taken the Lord away from the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.³Therefore, Peter departed with the other disciple, and they went to the tomb⁴Now they both ran together, but the other disciple ran more quickly, ahead of Peter, and so he arrived at the tomb first⁵And when he bowed down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not yet enter⁶Then Simon Peter arrived, following him, and he entered the tomb, and he saw the linen cloths lying there⁷and the separate cloth which had been over his head, not placed with the linen cloths, but in a separate place, wrapped up by itself⁸Then the other disciple, who had arrived first at the tomb, also entered. And he saw and believed⁹For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that it was necessary for him to rise again from the dead

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter the profound message of the resurrection and its transformative power. The first reading from Acts highlights Peter's declaration that Jesus, anointed by God, performed good works, was crucified, and rose on the third day. This resurrection is not just a historical event but a universal message of salvation for all, with Jesus as the judge of the living and the dead. The second reading from Colossians invites us to seek heavenly things, reminding us that our true life is with Christ, hidden in God, and will be revealed in glory. The Gospel from John vividly portrays the discovery of the empty tomb, where the disciples' encounter leads to belief, emphasizing the tangible reality of the resurrection. These readings are interconnected through the theme of resurrection. Acts proclaims the resurrection as a universal message of hope, Colossians encourages a life focused on eternal values, and John illustrates the moment of belief sparked by the empty tomb. Together, they call us to embrace the resurrection's impact on our daily lives, urging us to live with hope and purpose, knowing that our true life is in Christ. The moral lesson here is the power of faith and the call to live as people of the resurrection. Just as the disciples were transformed by their encounter, we too are called to live with a heavenly perspective, trusting in God's plan and sharing the message of salvation. Let us embrace this truth, allowing it to transform our lives and guide us in living as children of the light, focused on eternal glory.