💖 HOMILY - APRIL 6 💖

First Reading - Acts 2:14,22-33

Gospel - Matthew 28:8-15

Some events in life are so powerful that they cannot be kept hidden. No matter how much people try to silence them, the truth finds a way to be proclaimed. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is one such truth—unstoppable, undeniable, and life-changing. And today’s readings place before us a striking contrast: the courage to proclaim the truth and the attempt to suppress it.

In the first reading, we see Peter the Apostle standing boldly before the people. This is the same Peter who once denied Jesus out of fear. But now, filled with the power of the Resurrection, he speaks with courage and conviction. He proclaims that Jesus, who was crucified, has been raised by God, and that the apostles are witnesses to this truth. Peter no longer hides—he proclaims. This is the transformation that the Risen Christ brings: from fear to courage, from denial to witness.

In the Gospel, we see two very different responses to the Resurrection. The women, filled with both fear and great joy, run to share the Good News. They encounter the Risen Jesus, who greets them and reassures them. They fall at His feet in worship and are sent to proclaim the message to the disciples. They become the first messengers of Easter.

On the other hand, the guards who witnessed the empty tomb go to the chief priests. Instead of accepting the truth, the leaders choose to cover it up. They give money to the soldiers and instruct them to spread a false story—that the disciples stole the body while they were asleep. Here we see the tragic reality: even in the face of truth, hearts can choose to reject it.

Dear friends, these readings challenge us to ask: how do we respond to the Resurrection? Are we like the women, eager to share the Good News? Or are we like those who ignore or hide the truth because it is inconvenient?

The Resurrection is not just an event to believe in—it is a truth to be lived and proclaimed. Like Peter, we are called to bear witness with courage. Like the women, we are called to share the joy of encountering Christ.

But witnessing to Christ is not always easy. Sometimes, it means standing for truth when it is unpopular. Sometimes, it means living differently from the world around us. Sometimes, it means overcoming our own fears and doubts.

The good news is that we do not do this alone. The same power that transformed Peter is at work in us. The Risen Lord walks with us, strengthens us, and sends us.

May we have the courage to proclaim the truth of the Resurrection—not only with our words, but with our lives. May our lives reflect the joy, hope, and confidence that come from knowing that Christ is truly risen.