DAILY- HOMILY

April 23, 2019 - TUESDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER

White.

Acts 2: 36 – 41 / Jn 20: 11 – 18

FROM THE 1ST READING:             Acts 2: 36, 38 – 39, 41

Peter told the crowd, "Let Israel then know for sure that God has made Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified." . . .

"Each of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise of God was made to you and your children, and to all those from afar whom our God may call.". . .

So those who accepted his word were baptized; some three thousand persons were added to their number that day.

GOSPEL READING:           Jn 20: 11 – 18

Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept, she bent down to look inside. She saw two angels in white standing where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, and the other at the feet. They said, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She answered, "Because they have taken my Lord and I don't know where they have put him."

As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize him. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and answered him, "Lord, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and  I will go and remove him."

Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him, "Rabboni" – which means Master. Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me; you see I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them: 'I am ascending to my Father, who is your Father, to my God, who is your God."

So Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord and this is what he said to me."

REFLECTION

The center of Easter is the resurrection and not the empty tomb. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Christ.

At times, especially in previous ages, we focused too much on the death of Christ. Today we are told to focus both on his death and subsequent triumphant resurrection.

Our faith is based on the resurrection of Christ: "And if Christ has not been  raised,  our  preaching  is  empty  and  our  belief  comes  to  nothing,  (1 Cor 15: 14) In the first reading, at the preaching of St. Peter about the risen Christ on the first Pentecost, three thousand "accepted his word and were baptized."

To support the faith of his apostles and close friends, Jesus made appearances after his resurrection.

In today's reading he appeared to Mary of Magdala.. He then appeared to various women and to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. He appeared a few times to the apostles at the upper room behind closed doors and at the Sea of Galilee. He said farewell to them with his final instructions at his ascension into heaven.

Jesus is risen! Alleluia!

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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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

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