Dress to God's Word / "Liturgical Dress": Easter Sat

'Stamps from around the world' tie: Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature (gospel)

'Silverware' tie bar: While they were at table, Jesus appeared to the Eleven (gospel)

Listen

Settings of the psalm

Read

Acts 4:13-21 The leaders, amazed at Peter and John's boldness and the cured man, ordered Peter and John not to teach in Jesus' name. Peter and John: “We can't not speak about what we've seen and heard.” They released them; they couldn't punish them because of everyone praising God for what happened.

Ps 118:1, 14-15ab, 16-21 "I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me." God's mercy endures forever. The Lord is powerful; I'll declare his works.

Mk 16:9-15 Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene. She told his companions, but they didn't believe. Then he appeared to two more; they told the others, but they didn't believe either. Then he appeared to them all at table and rebuked them because they hadn't believed. “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to everyone.”

Reflect

Creighton: We welcomed new members of the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. Often they have the “zeal of converts.” That zeal challenges me to live a more evangelical life. Am I like the religious leaders who try to silence Peter and John's enthusiasm? Or do I refuse to be silenced like Peter and John did: “We must speak about what we've seen and heard.” Am I like the Eleven who refused to believe the good news, or like Mary Magdalene who first shared it? Inspired by the neophytes' zeal, may we “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel....”

One Bread, One Body: "Unexplainable lives": The historicity of the Resurrection accounts in the Bible is more credible because of the number and accuracy of the manuscripts of the Gospels, the reliability of the authors, and archaeological discoveries. But to know the significance of his Resurrection is a matter of faith: death has been put to death, and we who believe live a new life and will be raised from the dead. Our faith in the Resurrection is confirmed by the lives of Christians, many of whom were demon-possessed before their conversions, such as Mary Magdalene. People once trapped in disbelief and stubbornness are now self-assured and bold in proclaiming Christ. May our changed lives proclaim Jesus' resurrection.

Passionist: The disciples found out about Jesus' resurrection via Mary Magdalene, then the two on the road to Emmaus, then Jesus himself, who rebuked then commissioned them'; they were transformed from unbelief to proclamation. Before they were called Christians, they were "witnesses": they accepted the Resurrection as the life-giving event of their life and were committed to proclaiming the Risen Lord as living Savior of all people. We are still called to be witnesses, to proclaim Christ's presence among us, to express God's love for every person by our treatment of others. Tomorrow is Divine Mercy Sunday. Pope Francis challenges us to be agents and recipients of God's mercy. To whom can I show divine mercy? How is divine mercy being offered to me?

DailyScripture.net: "Go and preach the gospel to the whole creation": The first to see the risen Lord was a woman noted for her demonized living! She had been forgiven much, and loved her Master greatly. She was first to the tomb, but the disciples didn't believe her; Jesus scolded them for their unbelief and stubbornness, but later he commissioned them to go preach the gospel to all. The Lord makes his presence known through the work of the Spirit, gives us faith to know him and understand his death and rising, and commissions us too to be heralds of the good news and ambassadors for Christ. The Lord works in and through us by the power his Spirit to help us.

John Payne, convert, priest, martyr: “I honored the queen’s majesty; I would have spent my life for her in any lawful service; I prayed for her as for my own soul; I never invented or compassed any treason against her.”

Dress to God's Word / "Liturgical Dress"