Daily Readings for April 1, 2018

EASTER SUNDAY

1ST READING 

After Pentecost, the Holy Spirit empowered Peter and the Apostles to boldly take the Gospel to all nations. Do we have the same experience of the Holy Spirit? They proclaimed a simple message: Jesus, who was crucified by the authorities, has risen from the dead. Through His resurrection, Jesus forgave our sins and brought new life to those who have faith in Him.

Acts 10:34, 37-43

34 Peter proceeded to speak and said: 37 “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. 40 This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, 41 not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.

P S A L M 

Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

R: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 16 The right hand of the Lord has struck with power; the right hand of the Lord is exalted. 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. (R) 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. (R)

2nd READING

The empty tomb is the first evidence of the resurrection of Jesus. If His body was in the tomb, the people then (and us today) would have been confused about what took place. But because Jesus’ body was not in the tomb, either of two things happened: His body was taken away or He had risen from the dead. The Jews were desperate to curtail the growing influence that Jesus had on the people – it was possible that they took away His body. Fraud in Christianity would have been unable to overcome. But we know the truth — Jesus has been raised from the dead.

Colossians 3:1-4 (or 1 Corinthians 5:6-8) 10

1 Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

GOSPEL 

The Gospel challenges us to examine our ideas about what is possible. God gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us in rethinking our priorities and direction in life. Having faith in Christ means listening to and following the Advocate. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in our faith journey. 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed; let us then feast with joy in the Lord.

John 20:1-9 (or Mark 16:1-7 or Luke 24:13-35)

1 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb, and he saw and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.