April 12, 2004 - Easter Monday

We Are Witnesses

Readings:
Acts 2:14, 22-32; Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11; Mt 28:8-15

Introduction

Peter had refused to say that he knew Jesus. Now he cannot stop proclaiming that Jesus is risen. Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, rush to tell the apostles that Jesus is risen. The readings of today are all about witnessing to the resurrection. Peter proclaims it as the key to his faith: the Jesus who had been killed is truly risen and we disciples are witnesses to this fact and this person. Mary Magdalene and her companion are told by the angels at the tomb that Jesus is risen. Then they themselves encounter him and are instructed by Jesus to tell it to his other disciples, for now they too are witnesses that Christ is alive. We are these witnesses today.

Opening Prayer

Our living God,
our heart is glad and rejoices
and we feel secure in our faith
that we have a living person to believe in,
Jesus Christ, who is risen from the dead.
Let him show us the path of life,
let us live in the joy of his presence
and give us the grace to make us witnesses,
so that we can proclaim with our whole life
that Jesus is our risen, living Lord
now and for ever.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-33

On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven,
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
"You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem.
Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

"You who are children of Israel, hear these words.
Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God
with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs,
which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.
This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God,
you killed, using lawless men to crucify him.
But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death,
because it was impossible for him to be held by it.
For David says of him:

I saw the Lord ever before me,
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted;
my flesh, too, will dwell in hope,
because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.

My brothers, one can confidently say to you
about the patriarch David that he died and was buried,
and his tomb is in our midst to this day.
But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him
that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne,
he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,
that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld
nor did his flesh see corruption.
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."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

R (1) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. Or: R Alleluia.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R (1) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. Or: R Alleluia.

I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R (1) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. Or: R Alleluia.

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R (1) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. Or: R Alleluia.

You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R (1) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. Or: R Alleluia.

Gospel Reading: Mt 28:8-15

The women 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.

Commentary

IN a culture that did not accept as valid the testimony of women, it is remarkable that the four gospels did not hesitate to make Mary Magdalene's the first testimony of the resurrection of Jesus. It has much to say about the role of women as preachers today.

The chief priests and the Jewish authorities also had a "first": they were the first to give an explanation of the empty tomb. They would be followed by a cloud of theologians throughout the centuries who have tried to explain everything in the Faith. To explain is to explain away, because our explanations never do justice to reality. To "explain" means "to flatten out", and a mystery flattened out is only a theory at best. Perhaps it will be especially through the preaching of women that the mysteries will become mysteries again.

General Intercessions

- For all the newly-baptized, that they may keep growing nearer to the risen Lord, we pray:

- For missionaries, that they may proclaim to all willing to listen that Jesus is the risen Lord, who raises us above our selfishness and limitations, we pray:

- For all of us, that we may be joyful people, firm in our faith, because we have a Lord who has overcome evil and death, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

God,
it is a real joy for us
that your Son Jesus has invited us
to sit at table with him.
Let him again break for us
the bread of himself
and let him make us a people of joy and hope
who live close to Jesus
and close to our brothers and sisters,
as we are bound together
by the life and love of Jesus Christ,
our risen Lord, now and for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord God,
your Son Jesus has spoken to us
his word of greeting that takes away our fears
and that fills us with joy.
He has nourished us at his table
with the warmth of his loving presence.
Give us now the inspiration
to let our whole life bear witness to him,
say that we believe in his message of hope
and that he is the center and meaning of our life.
For he is Jesus, our living Lord,
now and for ever.

Blessing

Do not be afraid. Tell your brothers and sisters that the Lord is risen and alive. Let him also be alive in our communities, in our joy, our faith, our readiness to serve and love. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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