DAILY- HOMILY

April 21, 2014
Monday within the Octave of Easter

Acts 2: 14, 22-33 / Ps 16: 1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 / Mt 28: 8-15

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:  Mt 28: 8- 15   
They left the tomb at once in holy fear, yet with great joy, and they ran to tell the news to the disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met them on the way and said, "Peace." 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." While the women were on their way, the guards returned to the city and some of them reported to the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests met with the Jewish authorities and decided to give the soldiers a good sum of money, with this instruction, "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 satisfy him 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:
     When we read the apparition stories, we are assured that one day we too will be raised from death. But to the people of Jesus' time, his apparition to his apostles after his death attested to the truth of his statement. After the raising of Lazarus from the dead, he told the people that he would be killed and after three days, he would rise from the dead for the life of the world
     He rewarded the women who got the news of his resurrection from the angel and obeyed the angel's instruction to go and tell his apostles to go to Galilee where he would meet them. Jesus met these women with his greeting of "PEACE" According to the evangelist he even allowed them to kiss his feet. On the other hand the evangelist Matthew recounts that the guards at the tomb went to inform the chief priest what happened. The chief priest told the guards to tell a different story to save themselves from the wrath of Pilate. And this is what is being circulated up to this time - that the disciples went to steal the body of Jesus at night. Yes, such things can happen and the liars are still telling lies. May we not fall into the same action of telling lies just to save ourselves.
     Now, Jesus completes his mission. Through his apostles and us as followers of Jesus, his mission of making the Father known continues to be preached. This is the mission he has left to all believers - to tell the world about God's love and his Fatherhood to all creation. 
     As Jesus rewarded the women who believed in him, he rewards us too with the gift  of the Holy Eucharist.    

Prayer Requests:
We pray ...
... for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn
... for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary
... for families who are in need of healing
... for world peace and reconciliation

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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