Readings for Tuesday in the Octave of Easter[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Acts 2:36-41
On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people,
"Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made him both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified."
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other Apostles,
"What are we to do, my brothers?"
Peter said to them,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call."
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 2:36-41
The selection from Acts today continues the First Discourse by Peter concerning the Messiah. In this section he introduces Baptism in the name of Jesus. This is in accord with the instructions of all four Gospels found here for the first time. Peter’s arguments are compelling and we are told that three thousand accepted the call.
We note here also Peter called for “repentance” in addition to the call to Baptism. While Baptism washes away past sins, repentance is a call to on-going conversion of heart. This indelible change is a consequence of the gift of the Holy Spirit also given in Baptism.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22
R. (5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22
Psalm 33 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. In this selection the emphasis is on faithfulness to God who has saving power combined with hope, a central component of faith in God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 20:11-18
Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "They have taken my Lord,
and I don't know where they laid him."
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?"
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
"Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni,"
which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
'I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.'"
Mary went and announced to the disciples,
"I have seen the Lord,"
and then reported what he had told her.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 20:11-18
Today we are given St. John’s account of the first meeting between Mary Magdalene and Jesus following the Lord’s crucifixion. In this account we get a distinct picture that the ascension had not been completed but the Lord is waiting to deliver his final instructions.
There is debate about when the Lord ascended to the Father. Clearly his last earthly appearance was fifty days following the resurrection. Most scholars believe Jesus ascended immediately following his meeting with Mary depicted here. His return and actions from this point to the Ascension (Acts 1:1-11) were to accomplish the gift of the Holy Spirit he had promised.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”
(Acts 2 38b-39)
To those who came into the Church at the Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday this scripture is most significant, although, for all of us who have received the sacrament of Baptism this is really good news. We could reflect once more of the news given in John’s Gospel today with Mary Magdalene seeing the risen Lord for the first time. We could go on at great length about the significance of that first meeting between the Risen Christ and his mortal followers. We could dwell on the fact that Jesus had defeated death and was now anxious to return to His Father in heaven but still needed to reassure the disciples (that is why he said; “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.”).
We could also reflect about the importance of women in the life and faith of the Lord and how it was Mary, the Mother of God, who first believed in the Messiah and how now it is Mary Magdalene that understands the Lord is risen and sees him. We could even consider the importance of his instruction to her; “I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” And how important that statement is to us, the Lord reminding us he is true God and True man and we are his adopted children.
Yes, we could reflect upon all of those things but instead we look ahead over 40 days, as scripture does, to Pentecost and to what Jesus left us, the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s instruction to Baptize and the formula we are to use were the last instruction he actually left with his disciples;
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28 19)
It is this instruction we hear Peter carry out in the reading from Acts today. It is a continuation of the miracle of Christ’s resurrection; an insignificant event in the history of the world now takes root and transforms the world. Like a catalyst added to chemical reaction, the Holy Spirit accelerates the transformation. It can be resisted, and it still is, today more than any time since the Roman persecutions, but it cannot be stopped. It is, after all, really good news.
So, it is an important thing we do at our Sunday celebrations of the Mass during this Easter season– remembering out Baptismal promises during the rite of sprinkling. Let us rejoice in that brief shower. It is our salvation.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture use is “Noli Me Tangere” by Correggio, 1525
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Acts 2:36-41
On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people,
"Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made him both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified."
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other Apostles,
"What are we to do, my brothers?"
Peter said to them,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call."
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 2:36-41
The selection from Acts today continues the First Discourse by Peter concerning the Messiah. In this section he introduces Baptism in the name of Jesus. This is in accord with the instructions of all four Gospels found here for the first time. Peter’s arguments are compelling and we are told that three thousand accepted the call.
We note here also Peter called for “repentance” in addition to the call to Baptism. While Baptism washes away past sins, repentance is a call to on-going conversion of heart. This indelible change is a consequence of the gift of the Holy Spirit also given in Baptism.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22
R. (5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22
Psalm 33 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. In this selection the emphasis is on faithfulness to God who has saving power combined with hope, a central component of faith in God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 20:11-18
Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "They have taken my Lord,
and I don't know where they laid him."
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?"
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
"Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni,"
which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
'I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.'"
Mary went and announced to the disciples,
"I have seen the Lord,"
and then reported what he had told her.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 20:11-18
Today we are given St. John’s account of the first meeting between Mary Magdalene and Jesus following the Lord’s crucifixion. In this account we get a distinct picture that the ascension had not been completed but the Lord is waiting to deliver his final instructions.
There is debate about when the Lord ascended to the Father. Clearly his last earthly appearance was fifty days following the resurrection. Most scholars believe Jesus ascended immediately following his meeting with Mary depicted here. His return and actions from this point to the Ascension (Acts 1:1-11) were to accomplish the gift of the Holy Spirit he had promised.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”
(Acts 2 38b-39)
To those who came into the Church at the Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday this scripture is most significant, although, for all of us who have received the sacrament of Baptism this is really good news. We could reflect once more of the news given in John’s Gospel today with Mary Magdalene seeing the risen Lord for the first time. We could go on at great length about the significance of that first meeting between the Risen Christ and his mortal followers. We could dwell on the fact that Jesus had defeated death and was now anxious to return to His Father in heaven but still needed to reassure the disciples (that is why he said; “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.”).
We could also reflect about the importance of women in the life and faith of the Lord and how it was Mary, the Mother of God, who first believed in the Messiah and how now it is Mary Magdalene that understands the Lord is risen and sees him. We could even consider the importance of his instruction to her; “I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” And how important that statement is to us, the Lord reminding us he is true God and True man and we are his adopted children.
Yes, we could reflect upon all of those things but instead we look ahead over 40 days, as scripture does, to Pentecost and to what Jesus left us, the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s instruction to Baptize and the formula we are to use were the last instruction he actually left with his disciples;
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28 19)
It is this instruction we hear Peter carry out in the reading from Acts today. It is a continuation of the miracle of Christ’s resurrection; an insignificant event in the history of the world now takes root and transforms the world. Like a catalyst added to chemical reaction, the Holy Spirit accelerates the transformation. It can be resisted, and it still is, today more than any time since the Roman persecutions, but it cannot be stopped. It is, after all, really good news.
So, it is an important thing we do at our Sunday celebrations of the Mass during this Easter season– remembering out Baptismal promises during the rite of sprinkling. Let us rejoice in that brief shower. It is our salvation.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture use is “Noli Me Tangere” by Correggio, 1525
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
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