Invitation
May I ask for your attention for
the daily reading of the Gospel?
This invitation is to share the joy
of the gospel with you. Everyone, without exception,
can experience that joy by opening their heart
to the healing power of God’s word.
Available every day
Consideration
Today’s gospel summarises the events of the past week. The risen Lord appears a number of times, and each time there is disbelief and the disciples stubbornly refuse to believe the witnesses. Once there were twelve, one of whom betrayed the Messiah and another denied his connection to him, and the rest fled. After Jesus’ death, only a small, frightened group remained. Now that their master had been crucified, they too were in danger, and they spent their days in hiding, desperate and dejected. That is why the contrast with their attitude a few days later could not be greater: We find the disciples confident and determined, united in an enthusiastic community, stubbornly testifying in Jerusalem – even to the Sanhedrin – that the crucified one is still alive. It is therefore inevitable that something of significance must have happened in those few days, something so radical and fundamental that it could explain this about-turn. The proclamation of a new exodus from the slavery of sin and evil will spread from now on everywhere.
FIRST READING Acts 4:13-21
It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.
From the Acts of the Apostles
In those days
the high priests,
the elders of the people and the scribes were astonished
when they saw the boldness of Peter and John.
They recognised them as companions of Jesus.
Moreover, because they saw the healed man standing with them
they could not object.
After ordering them to leave the Sanhedrin
they conferred with each other and said:
‘What should we do with these people?
’It is clear to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
that an unmistakable miracle sign has been performed by them.
‘We cannot deny this.
’But to prevent the rumour from
spreading even further among the people,
we should forbid them with threats
to ever speak to anyone again in the name of that Name.”
Then they called them in
and forbade them ever to speak or teach
anything again
in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John replied,
‘Judge for yourselves
whether it is right for us to obey God
or obey you.
’We cannot help telling you
what we have seen and heard.’
After threatening them again
they set them free
because with the people watching
they did not know how to punish them;
for all glorified God for what had happened.
INTERLUDIUM Psalm 118 (117): 1, 14-15, 16ab-18, 19-21
I thank you that you have heard me.
or: Alleluia. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious.
The Lord is my strength and my might,
it is he who has saved me.
Now there is rejoicing and happiness
in all the tents of the righteous. The Lord has intervened with his mighty hand,
the Lord’s hand has raised me up,
the Lord’s hand was powerful.
I shall not die but live on
and tell of the Lord’s mighty acts.
The Lord has chastised me,
but not put me to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord,
the righteous shall enter it.
I thank you that you have heard my cry
and have delivered me from all my fears.
ALLELUIA Ps. 118(117), 24
Alleluia.
This is the day the Lord has made,
we will celebrate it in joy.
Alleluia.
SEQUENCE
Let us praise the Easter Lamb,
honour the Lamb of God with sacrifices.
Yes, the Lamb saves the sheep,
Christ through his innocence
brings us poor sinners to the Father.
Death and life, oh miracle,
must fight together.
He who died, He lives, He is our King.
Tell us, Mary,
what is it that you have seen?
The tomb of Christ that was empty,
the glory of Him who has risen,
angels as witnesses,
the sweat cloth and the shroud.
My hope, my Christ, alive!
Behold, he goes before you to Galilee.
Truly, Christ is risen: He has risen from the dead.
O King, our Hero, grant us peace. Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mk 16:9-15
Go out into the whole world and proclaim the gospel.
From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Mark
After Jesus
rose in the early morning on the first day of the week,
He appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
from whom He had cast out seven devils.
She went and told
to those who had been his companions
and were now mourning and weeping.
But when they heard
that he was alive and had been seen by her
they did not believe it.
Afterwards he appeared in a different form
to two of them
as they were on their way out on foot.
After they had returned
they told the others,
but even they were not believed.
Later he appeared to the eleven
as they sat at table.
He rebuked their stubborn unbelief,
because they had not believed those
who had seen him after he had risen.
Then he said to them:
“Go into all the world
and preach the gospel to all creation.”
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Fratelli tutti
Encyclical of
POPE FRANCIS
On fraternity and social friendship
259. It is important to add that with the development of
globalisation, what may seem to be an immediate or practical solution for a given region gives rise to a series of
violent, often latent factors that ultimately affect the entire planet and pave the way for new and even worse wars in the future. In our world, there are now not only ‘pieces’
of war in one country or another, but we are experiencing a ‘world war in
pieces’, because the fate of countries on the world stage is closely
each other.
To be continued
Every day at 1 am
The Bible text in this edition is taken from The New Bible Translation,
©Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap 2004/2007.
Considerations from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Fratelli tutti Official English translation __________________________________________________________________________