Liturgical Readings for : Saturday, 6th April, 2024
Easter Saturday
Jesus has to reproach his disciples for being so slow to believe in his resurrection
and remind them that they will find the same amongst their followers.
FIRST READING
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 4:13-21
We cannot promise to stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard.
The rulers, elders, and scribes were astonished at the assurance shown by Peter and John, considering they were uneducated laymen; and they recognised them as associates of Jesus; but when they saw the man who had been cured standing by their side, they could find no answer. So they ordered them to stand outside while the Sanhedrin had a private discussion.
‘What are we going to do with these men?’ they asked. ‘It is obvious to everybody in Jerusalem that a miracle has been worked through them in public, and we cannot deny it. But to stop the whole thing spreading any further among the people, let us caution them never to speak to anyone in this name again.’
So they called them in and gave them a warning on no account to make statements or to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John retorted,
‘You must judge whether in God’s eyes it is right to listen to you and not to God. We cannot promise to stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard.’
The court repeated the warnings and then released them; they could not think of any way to punish them, since all the people were giving glory to God for what had happened.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 117
Response I will thank you, Lord, for you have given answer.
Or Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
1. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.
The Lord is my strength and my song; he was my saviour.
There are shouts of joy and victory in the tents of the just. Response
2. The Lord’s right hand has triumphed; his right hand raised me up.
I shall not die, I shall live and recount his deeds.
I was punished, I was punished by the Lord, but not doomed to die. Response
3. Open to me the gates of holiness: I will enter and give thanks.
This is the Lord’s own gate where the just may enter.
I will thank you for you have given answer and you are my saviour. Response
Gospel Acclamation Ps 117: 24
Alleluia, Alleluia!
This day was made by the Lord; we rejoice and are glad
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 16:9-15
Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.
Having risen in the morning on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala from whom he had cast out seven devils. She then went to those who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them. But they did not believe her when they heard her say that he was alive and that she had seen him.
After this, he showed himself under another form to two of them as they were on their way into the country. These went back and told the others, who did not believe them either.
Lastly, he showed himself to the Eleven themselves while they were at table. He reproached them for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. And he said to them,
‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.’
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Scripture Reflection Easter Saturday Mark 16:9-15
The impression today’s gospel reading gives is that the first disciples found it very difficult to believe reports that Jesus who had been crucified was now alive. When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and she went and told the disciples what had happened, they were in such deep mourning that they did not believe her. When Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and they went and told the disciples their news, they did not believe them either. It was only when the risen Lord appeared to the group of disciples themselves that they finally believed that Jesus who was crucified was now living with a new quality of life. On that occasion, the risen Lord rebuked them for refusing to believe the witness of those to whom he had appeared. We are asked to do what the original disciples failed to do, to believe that Jesus is risen on the basis of the witness of those to whom the risen Lord appeared. We find this witness in the gospels and in the letters of Paul.
Our belief in the risen Lord is also based on his coming to us personally. He may not appear to us in the way he appeared to the first disciples, but he touches our own lives in a very personal way. We are to believe on the basis of the written testimony of the first eye witnesses, and on the basis of our own personal experience of the risen Lord’s presence in our lives. The risen Lord who comes to us sends us out in the same way he sent out the disciples in today’s gospel reading, to ‘proclaim the good news (of Easter) to all creation’.
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The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd
