Invitation
May I draw your attention to:
the daily reading of the Gospel?
This invitation aims to share with you the joy of the Gospel. Everyone, without exception,
can experience that joy by opening their hearts
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 several times, and each time there is disbelief and a stubborn refusal on the part of the disciples to believe the testimonies. Once numbering twelve, one of whom betrayed the Messiah, another denied his connection with Him, and the rest fled, a small, frightened group remains after Jesus’ death. Now that their Master has been crucified, they too are in danger, and, desperate and despondent, they spend their days hidden away somewhere. That is why the contrast with their attitude a few days later could not be greater: We find the disciples self-assured and determined, united in an enthusiastic community, persistently testifying in Jerusalem – even before the Sanhedrin – that the crucified One is still alive. It must therefore be the case that something momentous has taken place in those few days, something so profound and fundamental that it can explain this transformation. The proclamation of a new exodus from the slavery of sin and evil will now spread far and wide.
FIRST READING Acts 4, 13–21
It is impossible for us not to speak of what we have seen and heard.
From the Acts of the Apostles
In those days
the chief 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, since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them,
they could find no ground for objection.
After ordering them to leave the Sanhedrin,
they held a consultation amongst themselves and said:
“What are we to do with these men?
“It is clear to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
that an undeniable miracle has been performed by them.
“We cannot deny that.
“But to prevent the rumour of this
from spreading further amongst the people,
we ought to forbid them, under threat,
ever again to speak to any person in the name of that Name.”
Then they summoned them in,
and forbade them ever again to speak or teach
in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John replied to them:
“Judge for yourselves
whether it would be right before God
for us to obey you rather than God.
“It is impossible for us
not to speak of what we have seen and heard.”
After threatening them once more,
they released them,
because, in view of the people,
they did not know how to punish them;
for all were glorifying God for what had happened.
RESPONSORIAL Ps. 118(117), 1, 14-15, 16ab-18, 19-21
I thank You, for You have heard me.
or:Alleluia.
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is gracious.
The Lord is my strength and my power;
it is He who saves me.
Now there is a shout of joy and gladness
in all the tents of the faithful.
The Lord intervened with a mighty hand;
the hand of the Lord has raised me up;
the hand of the Lord was powerful.
I shall not die but live on,
and tell of the Lord’s deeds far and wide;
The Lord has struck me and chastened me,
but not condemned me to death.
Open the gates of righteousness,
within them I will go in and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord,
the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank You that You have heard me,
that You have brought me salvation.
ALLELUIA Ps . 118(117), 24
Alleluia.
This is the day the Lord has made,
we shall celebrate it with joy.
Alleluia.
SEQUENCE
Let us praise the Lamb of Easter,
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, O wonder,
must struggle together.
He who died, He lives, He is our King.
Tell us, Mary,
what is it that you have seen?
Christ’s tomb that was empty,
the glory of Him who has risen,
angels as witnesses,
the sweat cloth and the shroud.
My hope, Christ alive!
Behold, He goes before you to Galilee.
Truly Christ is risen: He rose from the dead.
O King, our Hero, grant us peace. Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mk 16, 9–15
Go forth into all the world and preach the Gospel.
From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Mark
After Jesus had risen in the early morning of the first day of the week,
She went and told this
to those who had been his companions,
who 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 walking along on their way out.
After these had returned,
they told the others,
but even they were not believed.
Later He appeared to the eleven
whilst they were reclining at table.
He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief,
because they had not believed those
who had seen Him after He had risen.
Then He said to them:
“Go out into the whole world
and preach the gospel to all creation.”
Laudato Si
Encyclical of
POPE FRANCIS
On Care for Our Common Home
83. The ultimate goal of the universe’s journey lies in the fullness of God,
which has already been attained by the risen Christ, the pivot of universal
growth. Thus we add yet another argument for rejecting any despotic and
irresponsible domination of other creatures by human beings.
The ultimate goal of other creatures is not us.
On the contrary, all proceed together with us and through us towards the
common goal that is God, in a transcendent fullness where the
risen Christ embraces and enlightens all things. For humanity, endowed with
reason and love and drawn by the fullness of Christ, is
called to bring all creatures back to their Creator.
The biblical text in this edition is taken from The New Bible Translation,
©Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap 2004/2007.
Reflections from Liturgical Suggestions for Weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation
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