First reading Acts 10:34,37-43
‘We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection’
Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.’
Responsorial Psalm 117(118):1-2,16-17,22-23
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad. (Or: Alleluia)
Give praise to the Lord, for he is good;
his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
The Lord’s right hand is exalted.
The Lord’s right hand has done mighty deeds.
A shall not die, I shall live
and recount the deeds of the Lord.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the Lord has this been done,
a marvel in our eyes.
Second reading Colossians 3:1-4
Look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is
Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.
Gospel John 20:1-9
He must rise from the dead
It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’
So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
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Easter today
The celebration of Christ’s resurrection may seem unrelated to our everyday experiences. However, Easter is much more than a distant concept; it carries deep significance for us when we allow it to shape and influence our daily choices. As Christians, we are indeed called to “look for things in heaven” as stated in the second reading by making decisions that reflect the life of the risen Christ. This means choosing patience over anger, forgiveness over holding on to hurt, showing love even when no one is watching, and choosing time to be with God in prayer amid a tight schedule. Easter becomes real when we live each ordinary moment of the day with the spirit of Easter.
In the Gospel, Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb and runs to inform Simon Peter and the beloved disciple. They see the linen cloths left behind but do not fully understand their significance. Despite their confusion about the meaning of the resurrection, they choose to take the next step. Today, we are invited to recognise that we should not wait for perfect faith to live out the resurrection; instead, we should focus on making small, faithful responses. By doing so, we find that our faith in the Risen Christ grows stronger.
Reflective question:
What concrete action can I take today to show that I believe Christ is truly risen?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
