For eight days the Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead! On this Monday within the Octave in our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles we hear the beginning of St. Peter's sermon shortly after the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles (on Pentecost) and they began the work Jesus gave them to do – filled with this Gift of the Holy Spirit – sent from God the Father and the Son – to be the life and heart of the Church!
We hear the Pentecost sermon during the celebration of Easter to show that the Risen Life of Christ flowed also from the Holy Spirit – and that the life of resurrection for all of us flows from that same Spirit: from the joint events of Easter / Pentecost!
Peter in this reading preaches to the Jewish people present in Jerusalem telling them that Jesus is the descendant of David of whom David spoke, who was David's hope and security, who was David's incomparable heir!
God raised this Jesus: of this we are all witnesses. Exalted at the right hand of God, he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear!
In the gospel passage we have a tie-over from yesterday's gospel passage – Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (of Salome) and telling them to go tell his brothers to meet him in Galilee. They were not to be afraid – everything was working out the way it was foretold – in a marvelous and stupendous way! Nothing would be the same again for anyone – who chose it to be different! Faith was now a key that could unlock an amazing treasure chest of grace and life!
This is the day the Lord has made: let us be glad and rejoice in it!
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