＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Acts 2:36-41

 Let Israel then know for sure

That God has made Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified.” When they heard this, they were deeply troubled. And they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do, brothers?”

 Peter answered: “Each of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the prom­ise of God was made to you and your chil­dren, and to all those from afar whom our God may call.”

 With many other words Peter gave the message and appealed to them saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who accepted his word were baptized; some three thousand persons were added to their number that day.

 

Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 & 22

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 20:11-18

 Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she bent down to look inside; she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, and the other at the feet. They said, “Woman, why are you weep­­ing?” She answered, “Because they have taken my Lord and I don’t know where they have put him.”

 As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize him. Jesus said to her, “Wo­man, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and answered him, “Lord, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.”

 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni” – which means, Master. Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me; you see I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them: I am ascending to my Father, who is your Father, to my God, who is your God.”

So Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord, and this is what he said to me.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

Tears of sadness are not permanent. At a certain time, it will give way to joy. The important thing is to hang on and never give up. The heart of Mary of Magdala must have been cursed upon seeing that the tomb of her Lord had been opened.

She expected the worst. But it did not deter her to stoop and peer inside. The fear of having her worst fears confirmed did not stop her to move forward. Her sadness temporarily blinded her.

In front of the wonders unfolding, the two shining beings and the very much alive Jesus, her grief got the better of her. But when she heard her Lord’s voice everything falls into place.

She wants to grasp and contain this joy standing in front of her. But the Lord gives her a command. To be the bearer of good news to His disciples. Her joy must not be hers alone. She must share it with others.