GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 18TH APRIL 2022
EASTER MONDAY
FIRST READING: Acts 2: 14, 22-33
PSALM: Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11
GOSPEL: Matthew 28:8-15
THEME: THE PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION
In a world that is becoming increasingly secular, materialistic and sophisticated, our faith in the resurrection of Jesus is destined to be queried. People are asking, ‘What shows that Jesus resurrected? Where is the proof?’ It is not enough to say, ‘My catechist or priest told me so.’ Neither is it enough to say, ‘I read it in the Bible.’ Even the evidence of an empty tomb was not enough to convince everyone in Jerusalem that Jesus had risen from the dead.
In today’s Gospel text, we are afforded an insight into a challenge that the early Christians faced in their quest to proclaim the Easter message. We read that the chief priests and the elders, in their quest to stop the message of the resurrection from spreading, “gave a sum of money to the soldiers and said, "Tell people, `His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.'” (Mt. 28:12-13). This is one of many such arguments that have been raised over the years to water-down faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The disciples did not go and argue it out with them philosophically; their transformed lives was the greatest argument in favour of the resurrection.
One such transformed life was that of Peter. In the First Reading, filled with ‘the power of the resurrection’, Peter boldly stood up and declared, “God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” (Acts 2:24, 32).
Our shared personal faith experiences of the risen Christ is the way to go in our quest to witness. Each one of us should be able to say confidently, “I know the one I have placed my faith in.”
A transformed life is the greatest testimony that affirms the resurrection. Your beautiful life of faith is the proof of the resurrection.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, deepen our faith in your resurrection so that no argument, whatsoever, may break us down. May we be filled with so much joy on account of your resurrection that we will run to announce the good news that you are alive! Amen!
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(GHANA PROVINCE)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).
THE DAY'S WORD FROM GOD (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: APRIL 18TH, 2022
MONDAY AFTER EASTER
READING FOR THE FIRST TIME: Acts 2: 14, 22-33
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11 PSALM 16:1-2, 5, 7-11 PSALM 16:1-2, 5, 7-11 PSALM 16:1-2
Matthew 28:8-15 GOSPEL
THE PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION IS THE THEME
Our faith in Jesus' resurrection is going to be questioned in a culture that is becoming increasingly secular, materialistic, and sophisticated. 'What evidence do you have that Jesus was resurrected?' people wonder. 'Where is the evidence?' 'My catechist or priest told me so,' is not sufficient. 'I read it in the Bible,' for example, isn't adequate. Even the evidence of an empty tomb was insufficient to persuade Jerusalem that Jesus had risen from the dead.
We are given an opportunity in today's Gospel text to