＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Acts 2: 36-41

 Let Israel then know for sure

that God has made Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified.” When they heard this, they were deeply troubled. And they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do, brothers?”

 Peter answered: “Each of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.   For the prom­ise of God was made to you and your chil­dren, and to all those from afar whom our God may call.”

 With many other words Peter gave the message and appealed to them saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”  So those who accepted his word were baptized; some three thousand persons were added to their number that day.

 

Ps 33: 4-5, 18-19, 20 & 22

the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 20:11-18

Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she bent down to look inside;  she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, and the other at the feet.  They said, “Woman, why are you weep­­ing?” She answered, “Because they have taken my Lord and I don’t know where they have put him.”

As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize him. Jesus said to her, “Wo­man, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and answered him, “Lord, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.”

 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni” – which means, Master.  Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me; you see I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them: I am ascending to my Father, who is your Father, to my God, who is your God.”

So Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord, and this is what he said to me.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

Why did Mary Magdalene fail to recognize Jesus in the Gospel reading? Some say that it was probable because what Mary had seen was the glorified body of the resurrected Jesus. But if that were the case, why would she think he was a mere gardener? Is it possible that the reason might be much simpler?

Perhaps she had been weeping and tears had clouded her vision. Whatever the reason might be, it was Jesus’ calling her name that allowed Mary to finally recognize that it was her friend and master that was before her.

There’s a beautiful line from Isaiah that says, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”(Is. 43:1)It is most heartwarming to note that it was Jesus’ calling Mary by her name – with the voice with which she had heard him speak and say her name times in the past – that drew her out of her grief and her pain.

There was a familiarity to it that was assuring, calming, consoling. God knows each of us by name and loves us just for who we are. And we must rest in that love, especially during moments when we find ourselves, like Mary, overcome by the difficulties and hardships of life.