GOD RAISED JESUS CHRIST TO LIFE

EASTER MONDAY Readings JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN ALLELUIAH

First Reading Acts 2:14,22-33  God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to this

On the day of Pentecost Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd in a loud voice: ‘Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law. You killed him, but God raised him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades; for it was impossible for him to be held in its power since, as David says of him:

I saw the Lord before me always, for with him at my right hand nothing can shake me. So my heart was glad and my tongue cried out with joy; my body, too, will rest in the hope that you will not abandon my soul to Hades nor allow your holy one to experience corruption. You have made known the way of life to me, you will fill me with gladness through your presence.

‘Brothers, no one can deny that the patriarch David himself is dead and buried: his tomb is still with us. But since he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn him an oath to make one of his descendants succeed him on the throne, what he foresaw and spoke about was the resurrection of the Christ: he is the one who was not abandoned to Hades, and whose body did not experience corruption. God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit.’

Responsorial Psalm: Preserve me Lord I take refuge in you

Gospel Matthew 28:8-15 Tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee: they will see me there

Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples.

And there, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Greetings’ he said. And the women came up to him and, falling down before him, clasped his feet. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.’  Lectures

While they were on their way, some of the guard went off into the city to tell the chief priests all that had happened. These held a meeting with the elders and, after some discussion, handed a considerable sum of money to the soldiers with these instructions, ‘This is what you must say, “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” And should the governor come to hear of this, we undertake to put things right with him ourselves and to see that you do not get into trouble.’ The soldiers took the money and carried out their instructions, and to this day that is the story among the Jews. Reflections

Thank you God our Father for giving us your Son Jesus Christ. Thank you Father for your love, mercy and compassion.

Lord Jesus Christ you conquered death. You gave us reason to live; you are our hope of salvation. You redeemed us from every form of oppression from the power of evil. For by your death Lord, you crushed evil. Goodness overcame evil, light over darkness, love conquered hatred, peace over war. Lord, humility over pride. Jesus Christ your obedience over disobedience. Jesus Christ you changed negativity detrimental to human existence by your goodness and sacrifice. You are our hope. Lord you are our light. You are life and our salvation. Truth is truth, deception cannot never overcome truth. Neither evil over goodness.

Lord Jesus I trust in you. Virgin Mary pray for me. Saint Joseph pray for me. My Angel Guardian pray for me. Protect me. Guide and guard me.

Pray the Holy Rosary: Ave Maria. 

Your Birthday Saint: St. Athanasia of Aegina, Religious. May she pray for you as you celebrate your birthday.