1st reading: Acts 2:14, 22-33
Psalm: Ps 15(16):1-2,5,7-11
Matthew 28:8-15
Throughout the thrilling journey of the Church’s liturgical calendar, we witness a captivating shift during the Easter Season! Imagine this: as we gather for Mass, our first reading shifts from the Old Testament to the dynamic Acts of the Apostles! Why this exciting change, you ask? Because Acts kicks off with the explosive event of Pentecost—the moment when the Church, promised and formed by Jesus, bursts into life!
This is where it all begins: the incredible saga of the Apostles, charged with the mission to spread the Good News around the globe, just as the Risen Jesus commanded them in Matthew 28:10-20. During this season of Easter, we’re not just reflecting; we’re diving headfirst into the vibrant early Gospel preached by Peter and Paul. Picture the scene as Peter boldly addresses the Jewish pilgrims on that first Pentecost, declaring, “God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. Exalted at the right hand of God, he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear” [Acts 2:32-33]. It’s a thrilling echo of the great commission, reinforcing the blessed Trinity as the foundation of our faith, anchored in the Incarnation and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
Now, let’s turn to the breathtaking moment of Jesus’ Resurrection in the Gospel of Matthew. The women at the tomb are overcome with emotions—“fearful yet overjoyed” [Mt 28:8]. Can you feel the intensity? Awe and wonder intertwine like a rare dance in the presence of God. They were terrified, having witnessed the incredible power of God, and for the first time, truly grasping the identity of Jesus: the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Son of God! Their hearts exploded with joy. He is Risen! Every promise He made came to life in vivid clarity, igniting their spirits!
Can you imagine the overwhelming joy they felt? Their faith, once flickering in despair, now blazed with hope! It’s the beautiful transformation of Mary Magdalene that resonates powerfully. She had once been trapped in the darkness of her sin, a tomb of her own making, but through the boundless power of God’s love and forgiveness, she was resurrected to new life! Jesus knew that she would believe, for she had tasted the miraculous: from a sinner to a saint, she embodies the redemptive love of Christ. Her life is the very testimony that Peter proclaimed in the streets of Jerusalem—the living proof of the Resurrection’s power!
But beware the pitfalls of life! We must not follow the Roman soldiers, who witnessed the miraculous events yet chose to bury the truth for a handful of silver. Just as the thirty pieces of silver could not silence the truth of Jesus’ Resurrection, neither could these soldiers overshadow the ultimate truth! We stand strong today on the foundation of the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church, built on Peter, the living Stone, the Cornerstone rejected by the leaders of the people.
Let’s celebrate this resounding victory over death and sin! A victory that echoes throughout the universe and continues to resonate today! Let us journey back to Galilee. Let us return to the source where we shall see Him
Fr Joseph Osho
