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.
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.
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.
REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
THEME: "YOUR WILL BE DONE" (Mt 6:10)
"Do not cling to Me." –John 20:17
After suffering the severe trauma of seeing her beloved Jesus crucified, Mary Magdalene was ecstatic when the risen Jesus appeared to her on Easter morning. The two things that Mary wanted to do more than anything else were to embrace Jesus and stay with Him. However, the two things that Jesus told her to do were to stop clinging to Him and to go away from Him (Jn 20:17).
You'd think this would be a monumental interior struggle for Mary, given the incredible emotions felt and intense love she had. Yet look what Mary did! She instantly relinquished her deepest desires and joyfully fulfilled Jesus' commands. She released Jesus and left Him in instant obedience to His command to tell the disciples the good news of His resurrection (Jn 20:18). The Gospel reports no protests from Mary, only her unhesitating obedience.
It's likely that Mary could yield to Jesus' will so perfectly because before Jesus commanded her, He addressed Mary by name (Jn 20:16). When we know Jesus loves us in such a personal, intimate way, we are so completely reassured of His personal love for us that all our other desires melt away. All we need is His love.
Are you struggling with something the Lord is asking you to do? Be assured of His risen love for you. If you were the only person on earth, Jesus would still have died and risen just for you. Nothing can separate you from His love (Rm 8:39). Therefore, go and carry His risen, personal love to a lost and hurting world.
PRAYER: "Rabbouni!" "My Lord and my God!" (Jn 20:16, 28)
PROMISE: "Three thousand were added that day." –Acts 2:41
PRAISE: Alleluia! Praise the Risen Jesus, Whose love is more powerful than death!
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