"O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!"

Today's Mass Readings

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Easter continues! In today’s adventure story from the Acts of the Apostles, we see attention focused on Peter and John because of a healing they have just done. Yet Peter and John take none of the glory for themselves, but instead redirect the attention. This healing is an attention-getter that allows them to communicate their important message: they are able to do what they do because of Jesus Christ. They use the opportunity to proclaim the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. But even more importantly, they use the opportunity to connect with their own Jewish roots. This Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God, the sign of God’s love to the world. Jesus, coming from this long line of people, is now for all, to be proclaimed to all who can hear The Gospel reading draws out the bizarre nature of the resurrected Jesus. How surprised his followers are when he suddenly appears, saying, “Peace be with you,” and then asking for some fish to eat! This is the same Jesus, who died on the cross! And yet he is truly resurrected in the body such that he can share a meal with them! Though Jesus asks them why they are troubled, he must surely know their astonishment. He guides them, however, to reflect on the mystery of his life, death and resurrection, especially, like in the Acts of the Apostles, he invites them to reflect on how he is the fulfillment of the
Hebrew Scriptures.

The resurrection of Jesus is tied to a very concrete, human past of interaction with God. Now that the people understand that connection, the natural inclination for Jesus’ disciples is to proclaim his life, death and resurrection as a testament to God’s love for us. We too are Christ’s disciples, and there is no better time than Easter for us to show in our lives the joy we receive in our Christian vocation. Let those around us witness in us a true love for God! Alleluia!

Let us use the words of the Psalmist to procliam our praise to God.

O LORD, our Lord,
how glorious is your name over all the earth!
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?


You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
.
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8)