The Lord has brought forth his people with great joy, and his chosen ones with shouts of joy, alleluia (P

 

The Lord has brought forth his people with great joy, and his chosen ones with shouts of joy, alleluia (Ps 104:43).

The joyful news of Christ’s resurrection cannot be silenced; on the contrary, it must be made known to all peoples and nations. In this celebration, let us renew our faith in Jesus and our commitment to evangelization.

First Reading: Acts 4:13-21

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles – In those days, the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes 13were amazed at the confidence with which Peter and John spoke, for they were simple and uneducated men. They knew that they had been with Jesus. 14But they saw the man who had been healed standing there. And they could say nothing against it. 15They ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin and began to argue among themselves. 16“What are we going to do with these men? They have performed a very obvious miracle, and it has become so well known to all the people of Jerusalem that we cannot deny it. 17But so that this does not spread further among the people, let us urge them not to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus.” 18Again they summoned Peter and John and ordered them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus at all. 19Peter and John replied, “Whether it is right in God’s sight for us to obey you rather than God, you judge. 20As for us, we cannot keep quiet about what we have seen and heard.” 21Then, insisting on their threats, they let Peter and John go free, since they had no way of punishing them because of the people. For all glorified God for what had happened. – The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: 117(118)

I give thanks to you, O Lord, for you have heard me.

1. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! / “His mercy endures forever!” / The Lord is my strength and my song / and he has become my savior. / “Let shouts of joy and victory / resound in the tents of the faithful.” – R.

2. The right hand of the Lord has done great things, † the right hand of the Lord has lifted me up, / the right hand of the Lord has done great things!” / The Lord has tested me severely, / but he has not abandoned me to the hands of death. – R.

3. Open to me, open to me the gates of justice; / I will enter and give thanks to the Lord! / “Yes, this is the gate of the Lord, / only the righteous will enter through it!” / I thank you, O Lord, for you have heard me / and have become my savior! – R.

Gospel: Mark 16,9-15

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

This is the day the Lord has made for us; / let us rejoice and be glad in it! (Ps 117,24) – R.

Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Mark – 9After he had risen, early on the first day after the Sabbath, Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons. 10She went and told his disciples, who were mourning and weeping. 11When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe it. 12Then he appeared to two of them in a different form as they were going out into the country. 13They also went back and told the others, but they did not believe them either. 14Finally, Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples while they were eating and rebuked them for their lack of faith and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen him after he had risen. 15And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature!” – Word of salvation.

Reflection:

To confirm that the disciples and all Christians are sent to preach and bear witness to the Gospel to all peoples, later traditions added the text we read today to the Gospel of Mark. It presents the universal mission of the Christian associated with a series of appearances of the Risen One: to Mary Magdalene, to the disciples of Emmaus, to the Eleven. It shows that the disciples do not truly believe without first having a concrete experience of the Risen One. More important, however, is the unity created between the mission of Jesus (which was fulfilled) and the mission of the Church (which now begins: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to every creature”).

(Day by Day with the Gospel 2025 - PAULUS)