April 6, 2013

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Saturday in the Octave of Easter 
Lectionary: 266

Reading 1ACTS 4:13-21

Observing the boldness of Peter and John
and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men,
the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed,
and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus.

Sts. Peter and John were arrested for healing the man crippled from birth in the Jerusalem Temple and for preaching in the name of Jesus Christ.  The next day, they brought before the leaders of the Jews and St. Peter took them to task for killing the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  He also informed them that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead and that the crippled had been healed by invoking the name of Jesus Christ.

At this point, the leaders recognized them as companions of Jesus.

Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them,
they could say nothing in reply.
So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin,
and conferred with one another, saying,
“What are we to do with these men?
Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign
was done through them, and we cannot deny it.
But so that it may not be spread any further among the people,
let us give them a stern warning
never again to speak to anyone in this name.”

Knowing that Sts. Peter and John had healed the crippled and that all the people were witness of this fact, the leaders were confused what to do.  They resolved to let them go with a warning not to preach in the name of Jesus.

So they called them back
and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,
“Whether it is right in the sight of God
for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.
It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”

Sts. Peter and John, however, had other ideas.  They pointedly asked, "Whom should we obey, you or God?"  And they refused to be silent about Jesus Christ, whose power they had witnessed first hand.

After threatening them further,
they released them,
finding no way to punish them,
on account of the people who were all praising God
for what had happened.

So, the leaders let them go.  Because they had no way of punishing them since the people were praising God because of them. 

Responsorial PsalmPS 118:1 AND 14-15AB, 16-18, 19-21

R. (21a) I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.or:
R. Alleluia.Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.or:
R. Alleluia.“The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the LORD has struck with power.”
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
Though the LORD has indeed chastised me,
yet he has not delivered me to death.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.or:
R. Alleluia.Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.or:
R. Alleluia.

Thank God and give Him praise!  For God is good and merciful.  He teaches us to do righteously and rewards us with eternal life.  Thank you, Lord, you are my Saviour! 

GospelMK 16:9-15

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had driven seven demons.
She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping.
When they heard that he was alive
and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

Jesus rose on a Sunday, the first day of the week and appeared to St. Mary Magdalen.  She, in turn, went to inform the brethren, the Apostles.  But they did not believe her.

After this he appeared in another form
to two of them walking along on their way to the country.
They returned and told the others;
but they did not believe them either.

Then He appeared to the Apostle Simon and his father, Cleopas on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24).  And they told the rest.

But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them
and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart
because they had not believed those
who saw him after he had been raised.
He said to them, “Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

Then He appeared to the Eleven in the upper room and reprimanded for their hardness of heart.  There He commanded them to go out into the whole world and preach the Gospel to everyone.