Monday of the Second Week of Easter

Optional Memorial for Saint Martin I, Pope and Martyr
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Martin I
 
Biographical information about St. Martin I

“Visit of Nicodemus to Christ”
by John La Farge, 1880

 
Readings for Monday of the Second Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 4:23-31
 
After their release Peter and John went back to their own people
and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.
And when they heard it,
they raised their voices to God with one accord
and said, "Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them,
you said by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of our father David, your servant:
 
Why did the Gentiles rage
and the peoples entertain folly?
The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed.
 
Indeed they gathered in this city
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,
Herod and Pontius Pilate,
together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do what your hand and your will
had long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
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Commentary on Acts 4:23-31
 
“This prayer of the Apostles and the community provides Christians with a model of reliance on God's help. They ask God to give them the strength they need to continue to proclaim the Word boldly and not be intimidated by persecution, and they also entreat Him to accredit their preaching by enabling them to work signs and wonders.” [4]
 
This selection from Acts continues describing the efforts of Peter and John after they return from being threatened by the Sanhedrin for proclaiming Jesus and performing signs in Jesus' name. They sing Psalm 2: 1-3, implying that those in power oppose the true mission of God. The passage concludes with their prayer for strength in continuing their work. The occurrence of an earth tremor is understood to symbolize God’s presence and affirmative response.
 
CCC: Acts 4:26-27 436; Acts 4:27-28 600
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9
 
R. (see 11d) Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
"Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!"
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9
 
Psalm 2 is one of the “Royal Psalms.” In this passage we are reminded that God has adopted us as his sons and daughters. The language used is the formal adoption language of the time. The selection focuses on the true ruler of heaven and earth - the Lord - not, as the psalmist points out, worldly kings who do not fear the Most High God.  There is an image used in Psalm 149 in which the Lord empowers the people to cast off their fetters, and use them to bind the secular rulers who oppress them (Psalm 149:8). The song sings of their steadfast commitment to bring this word to the Gentiles, freeing them from their idols. The first strophe is quoted by the apostles in Acts 4:23ff.
 
CCC: Ps 2:1-2 600; Ps 2:2 436; Ps 2:6-7 745; Ps 2:7-8 2606; Ps 2:7 441, 653, 2836
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Gospel: John 3:1-8
 
There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to him,
"How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?"
Jesus answered,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
'You must be born from above.'
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 3:1-8
 
“Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem (cf. John 7:50). He must also have been an educated man, probably a scribe or teacher of the Law: Jesus addresses him as a ‘teacher of Israel’. He would have been what is called an intellectual--a person who reasons things out, for whom the search for truth is a basic part of life. He was, naturally, much influenced by the Jewish intellectual climate of his time. However, if divine things are to be understood, reason is not enough: a person must be humble. The first thing Christ is going to do in His conversation with Nicodemus is to highlight the need for this virtue; that is why He does not immediately answer his questions: instead, He shows him how far he is from true wisdom: ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?’” [5]
 
During the Passover Feast, Jesus instructs Nicodemus on the need to turn away from the world of the flesh and focus instead on life in the spirit of God. This passage is filled with the images of the Christian baptismal calling: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” Placed in the Easter season, this can be seen as a reference to the Lord’s resurrection in the Spirit. It further points out that the Holy Spirit is a mystery that cannot be fully fathomed by human understanding but whose effects are quite apparent.
 
CCC: Jn 3:2 581; Jn 3:3-5 782; Jn 3:5-8 691, 728, 1287; Jn 3:5 432, 720, 1215, 1225, 1238, 1257, 1262, 2790; Jn 3:7 526, 591
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Reflection:
 
Even as we turn away from the events immediately following the resurrection, we are pulled back to that blessed night when so many were baptized and joined us in our adoption as “Children of God.”  We look closely at the Gospel exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus. 
 
Nicodemus is a member of the Sanhedrin, and one of those “secret disciples” who are afraid to openly follow Jesus.  He comes to Jesus at night, perhaps curious, perhaps compelled by something within him.  He professes his belief that Jesus is “a teacher who has come from God,” implying that he has come to learn at Jesus' feet.
 
Seeing the turmoil within Nicodemus, a man at once drawn to Christ’s holiness, and at the same time afraid of expressing that desire because of the loss of social acceptability that would accompany that expression, Jesus calls him to conversion.  He tells him that unless he follows his heart and repents from the things of the world to embrace the spiritual life, he will not find what he seeks.  The language used in Jesus' discourse is strikingly similar to St. John the Baptist’s testimony as he baptized the repentant faithful beside the Jordan.
 
The language makes it clear that Jesus believes Nicodemus must become the “new creation” referenced by Ezekiel 36:24ff.  He must relinquish his “stony heart,” and let God replace it with a heart full of the love of God and all that he created.  It is only through this rebirth that the kingdom of God may be achieved.
 
If St. Peter were there with them, he probably would have asked a question like: “Lord we have already been converted, how many times must we accept you as Lord; seven times?”  And Jesus would answer: “seventy times seven.”  Even though we have been baptized, and this can only happen once because once the change is made it may never be undone, we must constantly look to conversion.  Our human nature listens to the sweet-sounding words of temptation, whispered by the evil one from time to time. The veil of holiness slips, and we fall away from the love of God.  We all must constantly look to the spiritual rebirth the Lord speaks of as a means of access to his great love.
 
Today, even as we recall with filial love our brothers and sisters reborn in the baptismal waters of Easter, we recognize our own call to constant conversion.  Our prayer today is that we might always recognize this need and respond to God’s call to rebirth.
 
Pax

---

[1] The picture used is “Visit of Nicodemus to Christ” by John La Farge, 1880.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 746.
[5] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 657

Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 448, 641-646: Appearances of the risen Christ
CCC 1084-1089: Sanctifying presence of the risen Christ in the liturgy
CCC 2177-2178, 1342: The Sunday Eucharist
CCC 654-655, 1988: Our new birth in the Resurrection of Christ
CCC 926-984, 1441-1442: “I believe in the forgiveness of sins”
CCC 949-953, 1329, 1342, 2624, 2790: Communion in spiritual goods
 
Information about the Divine Mercy Chaplet
 

“The Incredulity of St. Thomas”
by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, 1602-03

Readings for the Second Sunday of Easter [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Acts 2:42-47
 
They devoted themselves
to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life,
to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone,
and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their property and possessions
and divide them among all according to each one’s need.
Every day they devoted themselves
to meeting together in the temple area
and to breaking bread in their homes.
They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart,
praising God and enjoying favor with all the people.
And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 2:42-47
 
This selection is the conclusion of St. Luke’s Pentecostal narrative. The Holy Spirit has descended upon the people, and St. Peter has offered his speech declaring Christ risen and explaining the messianic significance of that event. The people have reacted favorably to his words and we find many have been reached. The description of the early Christian community in Jerusalem, the first of three summary passages (along with Acts 4:32-37 and Acts 5:12-16), reflects an idyllic communal life style that is focused on the teaching of the twelve apostles and the Eucharistic liturgy. We note the reference to the continued attendance at the temple indicating that there was no thought of separating the Christian faithful from Judaism.
 
CCC: Acts 2:42-46 2178; Acts 2:42 3, 857, 949, 1329, 1342, 2624; Acts 2:46 584,1329,1342; Acts 2:47 2640
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24
 
R. (1) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the Lord helped me.
My strength and my courage is the Lord,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the Lord has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24
 
Psalm 118 has been in regular use during the Easter season. It is a liturgical song of praise and victory. The messianic imagery is so strong that it has been used for the past three days, reflecting the joy of the Church in Eastertide. This litany of thanksgiving features the cornerstone image that, in addition to Acts 4:1-12, was also used in the Gospel of St. Mark (Mark 12:10) and the first epistle of St. Peter (1 Peter 2:7) and the following Old Testament references: Job 38:6; Isaiah 28:16; Jeremiah 51:26. On Divine Mercy Sunday we begin the selection appropriately with: “His mercy endures forever.”
 
CCC: Ps 118:14 1808; Ps 118:22 587, 756; Ps 118:26 559
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Reading II: 1 Peter 1:3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,
to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.
In this you rejoice, although now for a little while
you may have to suffer through various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire,
may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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Commentary on 1 Pt 1:3-9
 
St. Peter writes to early churches of Asia Minor. This letter is thought to have been composed while St. Peter was in Rome, and published to them between 64 and 67 AD, shortly before his martyrdom at the hands of Nero.  He begins this selection with a prayer, thanking God for the grace given in baptism (“gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”). This passage is the beginning of the first section of his letter, dealing primarily with the gift and call of Christ in baptism.
 
Although baptism is not mentioned specifically, we see the allusion to it, first with: “who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope,” and then later with: “you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls.”  These gifts of hope and faith, presented in baptism, give Christians their indelible character.
 
CCC: 1 Pt 1:3-9 2627; 1 Pt 1:3 654; 1 Pt 1:7 1031
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Gospel: John 20:19-31
On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 20:19-31
 
St. John gives us the picture of the disciples (now apostles) in hiding immediately following the Lord’s crucifixion. Twice Jesus comes to them, once with Thomas absent and then again when he is present. (Note: no reference was made to Thomas' absence in Luke 24:36-49, the only other account of this event.)
 
There are a number of very important elements of this version of the story. First, the Lord’s greeting is “Peace be with you.” While this may have been a simple shalom, it is more likely intended to emphasize the rejoicing sense of the meeting. Immediately the Lord sends them on their mission: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you." As part of this action, we are told, the Lord gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen them. He also gives them authority to act in his name.
 
The significance of Thomas’ absence is used as an evangelizing moment. Doubting Thomas is confronted in the second visit by the risen Christ and, almost in recompense for his role as disbeliever, he provides the title with which Jesus is understood now as True God as well as True Man: “My Lord and my God.” The Lord then delivers a beatitude for future generations of Christians; "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
 
CCC: Jn 20:19 575, 643, 645, 659; Jn 20:20 645; Jn 20:21-23 1087, 1120, 1441; Jn 20:21 730, 858; Jn 20:22-23 976, 1485; Jn 20:22 730, 788, 1287; Jn 20:23 1461, 2839; Jn 20:24-27 644; Jn 20:26 645, 659; Jn 20:27 645; Jn 20:28 448; Jn 20:30 514; Jn 20:31 442, 514
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Reflection:
 
I will make a confession to you – at least to those of who do not know me personally – I am a science fiction fan, have been since I was about 12 years old when my best friend gave me one of the works of Robert Heinlein to read.  Because I’ve read a lot and seen a large number of films of that genre, when I start looking for analogies, I frequently latch on to examples from that segment of literature.  In the case of the lesson taught by the story of Jesus coming to the locked room I’d like to use a recent film called the Fifth Element which starred Bruce Willis and Chris Rock.
 
The plot element upon which I draw, however, did not involve either of these two actors.  For those of you not familiar with the movie it involves an ancient defensive weapon left to protect earth from the ultimate evil.  This weapon was kept in one of the pyramids of Giza until it was newly discovered by archaeologists in the early 1900’s and was moved off-planet until needed.  A brotherhood of priests (not Catholic) was left in charge of the site on earth and promised the weapon would be returned 500 years in the future when the great evil was scheduled to return.
 
The problem came to a head when (through a series of improbable adventures) the weapon was returned in the nick of time, but the secret of its use had not been faithfully passed down, and the priest alive at the time of its need did not know how to use the force to save mankind.
 
Now some of you, I’m sure, are wondering where in the world this is going.  Well, let’s look at the Gospel story.  An amazing thing happens.  The savior that we saw die on the Cross on Good Friday appears in a locked room, twice, to an incredulous group of frightened disciples.   He shows them his hands and feet.  He has Thomas, who was not with them the first Sunday, on the second Sunday (that’s today) place his fingers into his hands and side.
 
In spite of their doubts and fears, the disciples are now convinced.  Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ.  He is the Messiah spoken of in the law and predicted by the prophets.  He is the cornerstone of God’s revelation.  And what does he ask his friends?  What does he invite them to do?  It’s a very simple statement: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you." He sends them into the world with the faith and knowledge he gave them by displaying his gloriously risen body.
 
These few did as the Lord instructed.  They went out into the world, always passing on the same instructions to their followers: as the Lord sent us, so we send you.  In all but one instance they died for that message.  Their followers did the same and so on, and so on, for fifty generations. 
 
The message has made progress, and the message has been rejected, in various turns of history.  With the onset of the current age, many people reject the truth of the locked room.  They reject the possibility of Christ crucified and risen.  They say: What difference does it make? And: Why should we believe such fairy tales?
 
Into this storm of secular disbelief, we, today’s disciples, are sent.  The question we must ask is, are we like the old priest from the Fifth Element?  Do we remember the secret of the “locked room,” and the glory of God that blazed in that space?  Is our faith in Christ and in his continued presence here with us strong enough to face a disbelieving world that would rather pursue its dreams of self-serving pleasure?
 
The secret of the locked room is this: Jesus of Nazareth died a human death on the cross.  He did so in order that his sacrifice might atone for the sins of all mankind, that we might be reconciled to our merciful Father.  To show that death had been defeated, he returned to his disciples.  He did not return in the human body he had worn in life.  Such a body could never have passed through the walls of the locked room.  No, he returned in a resurrected and glorified body, a body that had substance, in a reality we cannot understand.  It is the body he offered to St. Thomas our patron. 
 
“Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
 
It is the essence of that glorified and risen body he presents to us in the form of bread and wine at our Eucharistic feast.  And like Thomas, he invites us to believe as we hear: “The Body of Christ” and “The Blood of Christ.”
 
Today we are once again witnesses to God’s ultimate revelation.  In an act of Divine Mercy, he shows us the living presence in the Eucharist as he enters this locked room and shows himself to us in his gloriously risen body, present in the form of bread and wine.  He comes to us two thousand years later and bids us to believe in God’s mercy.  He asks us, like he asked those first friends of his, to go into the world and through their words and actions, proclaim the kingdom of God.
 
Are you ready?  Do you remember the secret?  Can you do as the Lord asks?  With the strength of the Holy Spirit, we pray our answer to all these questions, through the Lord’s divine mercy, is “Yes!”
 
Pax

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture used today is “The Incredulity of St. Thomas” by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, 1602-03.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Saturday in the Octave of Easter

“The Risen Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalene”
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1638

Readings for Saturday in the Octave of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 4:13-21
 
Observing the boldness of Peter and John
and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men,
the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed,
and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus.
Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them,
they could say nothing in reply.
So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin,
and conferred with one another, saying,
"What are we to do with these men?
Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign
was done through them, and we cannot deny it.
But so that it may not be spread any further among the people,
let us give them a stern warning
never again to speak to anyone in this name."
 
So they called them back
and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,
"Whether it is right in the sight of God
for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.
It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard."
After threatening them further,
they released them,
finding no way to punish them,
on account of the people who were all praising God
for what had happened.
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Commentary on Acts 4:13-21
 
This is the conclusion of the story of the healing of the lame beggar at the “Beautiful Gate." The Sanhedrin has a problem. Too many people saw the miracle done in Jesus’ name. They attempt damage control by threatening Peter and John. This does not work, and we hear the final word of their kerygmatic discourse as they proclaim the risen Christ once more. The reason the Sanhedrin could not punish them further is significant: the event had been attributed by the people to God’s mercy not to the disciples themselves. In CCC 2640 we hear this attributed: “St. Luke in his gospel often expresses wonder and praise at the marvels of Christ and in his Acts of the Apostles stresses them as actions of the Holy Spirit: the community of Jerusalem, the invalid healed by Peter and John, the crowd that gives glory to God for that, and the pagans of Pisidia who ‘were glad and glorified the word of God.’”
 
CCC: Acts 4:20 425; Acts 4:21 2640
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1 and 14-15ab, 16-18, 19-21
 
R. (21a) I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
"The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the LORD has struck with power."
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
Though the LORD has indeed chastised me,
yet he has not delivered me to death.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 118:1 and 14-15ab, 16-18, 19-21
 
Psalm 118 is the great litany of thanksgiving. In this selection, it leads nicely into Mark 16:9-15 with: “I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior.” (v. 21) David gives thanks for the salvation that comes from the Lord.  Faith in God has led him from death to life.  The Lord is the “gate of justice” and he opens the way to eternal life.
 
CCC: Ps 118:14 1808
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Gospel: Mark 16:9-15
 
When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had driven seven demons.
She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping.
When they heard that he was alive
and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
 
After this he appeared in another form
to two of them walking along on their way to the country.
They returned and told the others;
but they did not believe them either.
 
But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them
and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart
because they had not believed those
who saw him after he had been raised.
He said to them, "Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature."
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Commentary on Mk 16:9-15
 
This Gospel selection is called “The Longer Ending” or “The Canonical Ending” of St. Mark’s Gospel. It captures pieces of the story we have from the narratives of the resurrection found in the Gospels of St. Luke (Luke 24:10ff) and St. John (John 20:11ff). The emotion expressed is one of fear and determination, rather than joy and confidence found in later writings. This earliest of the Gospel accounts provides a very human account of Jesus’ friends immediately following his death and before their recognition of his risen victory.
 
“Mark’s account of the Great Commission stresses that the apostles must spread the Christian faith by (1) evangelization (preach) and (2) the administration of the sacraments (baptized CCC 977,1253, 1257). The apostle’s mission to the whole creation includes all nations of the world (Luke 24:47).” [4]
 
CCC: Mk 16:11 643; Mk 16:12 645, 659; Mk 16:13 643; Mk 16:14 643; Mk 16:15-16 977, 1223; Mk 16:15 888
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Reflection:
 
As we listen to the condensed story of the discovery of the resurrection from St. Mark’s Gospel, we are reminded that the disciples did not come to understand immediately what had taken place.  They rejected the story told by Mary Magdalene, and even by the two disciples who had been traveling to Emmaus.  It was not until the risen Lord had come and stood in their midst that they believed that Jesus was not dead, but alive, risen as he had told them.
 
We celebrate the joy of Easter already having come to faith and understanding of the resurrection.  We have, almost from our birth in many cases, been told the story of the resurrection of Jesus and had it explained.  If we have accepted the reality of the empty tomb solely on faith we are blessed indeed. St. Thomas was not that fortunate.  If we have struggled with the apparent contradiction of the events, with the physical reality of life and death as we know it and come at last to belief that it was possible for God and explainable by human logic, then we too are blessed.
 
If you are one of the many who have doubts, consider this: for two thousand years this story has been told and reenacted countless times.  It has been challenged and suppressed; it has been denied, and those who continued to tell the story have been persecuted and killed.  Some of the most brilliant minds in human history have embraced the story as true and offered their lives in its defense.  If you cannot find it in your heart to accept that Jesus, who was a man, born of a woman, but in essence was the Only Son of God who was crucified, died, and rose from the dead, then accept that others of greater intellect have done the heavy lifting for you, and accept this truth as an unknowable fact.
 
But once you have accepted this truth, seek with your heart for the faith that brings complete belief.  Pray for it! The enemies of the Cross are many; they are tireless in their attempts to deny the empty tomb, and they are persuasive and powerful.  Our defense is that the call he left the disciples still echoes in the world: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature."  We, who accept this call, work to create a world based upon the great truth of our Lord and Savior.
 
Pax
 
In other years on April 11^th: Memorial of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop, Martyr

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[1] The picture used is “The Risen Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalene” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1638.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, Old and New Testament (Ignatius Press, © 2024, San Francisco, CA), 1821.

Friday in the Octave of Easter

“Appearance on Lake Tiberias”
by Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308-11

 
Readings for Friday in the Octave of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 4:1-12
 
After the crippled man had been cured,
while Peter and John were still speaking to the people,
the priests, the captain of the temple guard,
and the Sadducees confronted them,
disturbed that they were teaching the people
and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
They laid hands on Peter and John
and put them in custody until the next day,
since it was already evening.
But many of those who heard the word came to believe
and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
 
On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes
were assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest,
Caiaphas, John, Alexander,
and all who were of the high-priestly class.
They brought them into their presence and questioned them,
"By what power or by what name have you done this?"
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them,
"Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,
which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved."
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Commentary on Acts 4:1-12
 
This selection follows Peter and John as they proclaim Christ crucified and risen. In these verses, their effective apologia has now gained them an audience with Caiaphas and the rest of the Sanhedrin, the very same people who handed Jesus over to be crucified. Peter, having just performed a saving act in Jesus’ name, reminds them of this fact with the famous cornerstone speech (in other versions the word used is “keystone” or “head of the corner”) using imagery from their own hymnal Psalm 118:22.
 
"St. Peter applies the words of Psalm Psalm 118:22 to Jesus, conscious no doubt that our Lord had referred to Himself as the stone rejected by the builders which had become the cornerstone, the stone which keeps the whole structure together (cf. Matthew 21:42 and par.).
 
"Invocation of the name of Jesus is all-powerful because this is our Savior's own name (cf. note on Matthew 1:21). Our Lord Himself told His Apostles this: 'If you ask anything of the Father, He will give it to you in My name' (John 16:23), and they, trusting in this promise, work miracles and obtain conversions ‘in the name of Jesus.'" [4]
 
CCC: Acts 4:10 597; Acts 4:11 756; Acts 4:12 432, 452, 1507
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a
 
R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His mercy endures forever."
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a
 
This litany of thanksgiving features the cornerstone image that, in addition to Acts 4:1-12, was also used in the Gospel of St. Mark (Mark 12:10), the first epistle of St. Peter (1 Peter 2:7), and the following Old Testament references: Job 38:6; Isaiah 28:16; Jeremiah 51:26.
 
CCC: Ps 118:22 587, 756; Ps 118:26 559
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Gospel: John 21:1-14
 
Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee's sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."
They said to him, "We also will come with you."
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?"
They answered him, "No."
So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something."
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord."
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught."
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast."
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?"
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.
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Commentary on Jn 21:1-14
 
This passage relates the Lord’s third appearance to the disciples.  Again, he is not at first recognized.  In typical Johannine fashion, the first to recognize the Lord was the disciple whom Jesus loved, presumed to be St. John himself.  It is significant that they are found at Lake Tiberias.  They have done what the Lord asked and returned to Galilee (Matthew 28:10).
 
Jesus tells them where to cast the net and indeed, they net a great number of fish (153 was probably symbolic of the universal mission of the Church, the total species of fish known at the time, or the sum of numbers from 1-17).  Peter is so excited he jumps into the water and swims to shore, discovering Jesus with a fish already cooking and bread, a Eucharistic reference.
 
When they are joined by the other disciples, they were so overawed that they could not even speak.  Then the Lord broke the bread.
 
“The Fathers and Doctors of the Church have often dwelt on the mystical meaning of this episode: the boat is the Church, whose unity is symbolized by the net which is not torn; the sea is the world, Peter in the boat stands for supreme authority of the Church, and the number of fish signifies the number of the elect (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, 'Commentary on St. John, in loc.').” [5]
 
CCC: Jn 21:4 645, 645, 659; Jn 21:7 448, 645; Jn 21:9 645; Jn 21:12 1166; Jn 21:13-15 645
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Reflection:
 
One week ago today we recalled the Passion of our Lord and felt the tragic pang of sorrow as he was laid in the tomb.  It always seems odd to see the tabernacle bare and empty, the vigil light extinguished.  Lots of folks can’t seem to understand or perhaps they are just so accustomed to reverencing the Eucharist they don’t think about what it is that‘s missing.
 
Today, that missing component is back, back in the tabernacle.  The Lord too is back with the disciples who themselves are back fishing, where many of them started.  Now the Lord lets them (and us) know that, while he has fulfilled the Father’s plan, the mission is not completed.  The Lord has made them “fishers of men” as he promised.  Now as then, he directs us, and we are to cast his net. The net we cast is made up of each of us.
 
Knowing we need strength for such a difficult task, he feeds us with his own body in the Eucharist. He says: “Come, have breakfast.”  The Scripture story has one additional analogy for us after that invitation. The disciples, the ones he called and who had been walking with him for three long years, were there and they too were afraid of the task that he laid before them.
 
Today we again pray in thanksgiving: “He is Risen!” We also ask God for the strength to carry on the work to which, like the disciples on the shore of Galilee, we are called.  May his Holy Spirit guide us and his body, the Eucharist, strengthen us.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used is “Appearance on Lake Tiberias” by Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308-11.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 743.
[5] Id., 705.