Frederick, Maryland, United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Saturday, 26 April 2014 - Catholic Meditations

Frederick, Maryland, United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Saturday, 26 April 2014 - Catholic Meditations

Meditations: Acts 4: 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can’t deny it. 17 But so that this spreads no further among the people, let’s threaten them, that from now on they don’t speak to anyone in this name.” 18 They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves, 20 for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.”

21 When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.

Saturday within the Octave of Easter

It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard. (Acts 4:20)

From the dawn of time, it has been God’s desire to fill our hearts with his love and to move us to share that love with the people around us. In the Book of Numbers, God called Moses to gather seventy elders so that he could pour his Spirit upon them. Two men, Eldad and Medad, couldn’t make it to the meeting tent, but God still poured his Spirit upon them, giving them the same gift that he had given to the others (Numbers 11:26-30). It seems that God just couldn’t hold back! Everything about him continued to overflow until everyone he had chosen was filled.

Now here, centuries later, are two other men, Peter and John. The leaders, elders, and scribes “perceived” them as “uneducated, ordinary men” (Acts 4:13). They had even denied Jesus and lived in fear after Jesus was crucified. But that was in the past. Now they can’t contain themselves. They just have to speak, as if they would burst if they don’t. They have to share the message that has so transformed their lives. Not only have they walked with Jesus; the Holy Spirit has come to live in their hearts. And not only that, they know that this gift is meant not just for them but for everyone.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Try to imagine how excited he must have felt. Finally, the gospel could spread, and millions more could be brought to the Lord!

Brothers and sisters, God is ready to fill you with his Spirit and give you the zeal to share his good news. He wants to give you the boldness to tell people about your hope in Jesus. He wants to help you share the gift of his salvation with your family, your co-workers, your neighbors, and even complete strangers. Just remember that Jesus, alive in your heart, is overflowing with love for each person you meet. He has promised to be with you until the end of time—and he always keeps his promises!

“Jesus, thank you for speaking through the people who have told me about you. Today, I open my heart to you so that you can speak through me. Make me your messenger, Lord!” Amen.

Psalm 118:1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,

    for his loving kindness endures forever.

14 Yah is my strength and song.

    He has become my salvation.

15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous.

    “The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.

16 The right hand of Yahweh is exalted!

    The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!”

17 I will not die, but live,

    and declare Yah’s works.

18 Yah has punished me severely,

    but he has not given me over to death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness.

    I will enter into them.

    I will give thanks to Yah.

20 This is the gate of Yahweh;

    the righteous will enter into it.

21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me,

    and have become my salvation.

Mark 16:9 [a]Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved. 12 After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country. 13 They went away and told it to the rest. They didn’t believe them, either.

14 Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn’t believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.

Footnotes:

a. Mark 16:9 NU includes the text of verses 9-20, but mentions in a footnote that a few manuscripts omitted it. The translators of the World English Bible regard Mark 16:9-20 as reliable based on an overwhelming majority of textual evidence, including not only the authoritative Greek Majority Text New Testament, but also the TR and many of the manuscripts cited in the NU text.

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