Category: Prayers

“The Lord has been raised! It is true! He has appeared to Simon [Peter].” –Luke 24:34 Mass Readings: April 19 First: Acts 3:1-10; Resp: Psalm 105:1-4,6-9; Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 The Holy Spirit inspired the authors of Scripture to testify that the risen Jesus appeared especially to St. Peter (also known in the New Testament as Simon, Simon Peter, Cephas, and Kephas) before appearing to the entire group of apostles. St. Paul also makes a special reference “that He was seen by Cephas, then by the Twelve” (1 Cor 15:5). These, and other references, give evidence to the primacy of Peter....

“His disciples came during the night and stole him while we were asleep.” –Matthew 28:13 Mass Readings: April 17 First: Acts 2:14,22-33; Resp: Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11;Gospel: Matthew 28:8-15 The soldiers guarding the tomb were the first witnesses to the Resurrection. As they guarded the tomb of Jesus, “there was a mighty earthquake, as the angel of the Lord descended from heaven…The guards grew paralyzed with fear of him and fell down like dead men” (Mt 28:2, 4). The chief priests instructed the soldiers to say that Jesus’ disciples came during the night and stole him when they were asleep (Mt 28:13)....

Have a Blessed and Meaningful Easter “Are you not aware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” –Romans 6:3 To know the risen Christ in a life-changing, death-conquering way, we must be baptized in His name (Acts 2:38). If we are already baptized, we must renew our Baptisms and live them. In this way, we become aware that we “have been raised up in company with Christ” (Col 3:1). In Baptism, we know the risen Christ. Therefore, on this first day of the Easter season, at every Mass in the world, the Church calls...

“I had rather one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” –Psalm 84:11 Mass Readings: April 15 First: Genesis 1:1–2:2; Second: Genesis 22:1-18; Gospel: Matthew 28:1-10 The first Holy Saturday was a day without Jesus. He was buried in the tomb, and, because of the Sabbath, His body could not be anointed (Lk 23:56–24:1) or even visited (Mt 28:1). Today the Church relives that first Holy Saturday without Jesus. The Blessed Sacrament does not reside in the tabernacle today. There is no Mass during the day. We identify with Jesus buried in the tomb (see Rm 6:3-4). Mary Magdalene...