Saturday - April 10, 2021
How often I failed in my duty to God,
because I was not leaning
on the strong pillar of prayer.
~~ St. Teresa of Avila
How often I failed in my duty to God,
because I was not leaning
on the strong pillar of prayer.
~~ St. Teresa of Avila
April 10, 2021
Saturday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 266
Reading I Acts 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.
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.”
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.”
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.
Responsorial Psalm 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a
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.
Alleluia Ps 118:24
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mk 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.
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.
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.”
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If God Thinks You Can Do
It, Then of Course You Can
God designed each of us to be important, but too many of us act like useless nobodies by doing too little in the mission of Christ. It's not that we don't care. We simply don't believe we are that important nor that capable.
Think of a time when you were asked to do something and you turned it down because you thought you weren't qualified. Let's imagine that a request went out for someone to organize a Bible study for children. You ignored it because you were afraid that you might get in over your head. Your fears were stronger than your love for the children, and that made you useless.
This happens because we measure our value by the world's standards, which never satisfies. Apart from God, we are nothing. We are inadequate. But in him and through him, we are special! We are apostles! He created you with a special purpose in mind, no less than he did with me.
The greatest joy that we can ever receive comes from knowing that to God we are somebody. We never did anything to become important. It's a free gift, given to us in Baptism and Confirmation.
When we respond to apostolic opportunities with fear, we're useless because we underestimate the God who offered us the opportunity to work for him. We've forgotten that he's powerful enough to help us accomplish the task. If God thinks we can do it, then of course we can do it, as long as we keep in touch with him and allow him to function through us.
When we were baptized and confirmed into the Holy Spirit, we became a storehouse of God's riches. We became a distribution point for God's grace. The essence of our apostolic activity is to give to others what we have received from God.
Today's Prayer
Lord, grant me the grace to listen for and then
act on Your divine advice. Help me to recognize Your wisdom when it comes
through those You have intentionally chosen to talk to me. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
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