Monday in the Octave of Easter

April 5, 2021

---

Today, in God’s Lavish Mercy, we pray with Psalm 16 in the light of our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

For the next seven weeks, our first readings will come from Acts, allowing us to journey with the early Church as it finds its way after Jesus’s Resurrection. At the same time, our Responsorial Psalms will enhance our spiritual understanding of the message of Acts. To support my prayer over these weeks, I will be using a book by scripture scholar William S. Kurz, SJ, Acts of the Apostles.

---

Kurz calls today’s passage, “Peter’s Argument from Scripture That Jesus Is the Christ (2:22–32)”. Peter structures this argument on two psalms, 16 and 110. He says that Psalm 16 is a foreshadowing of the Resurrected Messiah:

For David says of him:

    I saw the Lord ever before me,
        with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
    Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted;
        my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, 
    because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
        nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.
    You have made known to me the paths of life;
        you will fill me with joy in your presence.

Acts 2: 25-28 / Psalm 16: 8-11

---

Peter is instructing, proving, and convincing his audience that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah who allows us all to conquer death with him. If we believe and live this Truth, all that is deathly has no power over us.

As we drink in the beauty of Spring blossoming all around us, let us place into the Easter Light any hint of fear, darkness or death we carry hidden in our hearts.

---

Poetry: Easter Wings – George Herbert (1593–1633)

Lord, Who createdst man in wealth and store,
        Though foolishly he lost the same,
              Decaying more and more,
                      Till he became
                        Most poore:
                        With Thee
                      O let me rise,
              As larks, harmoniously,
        And sing this day Thy victories:
Then shall the fall further the flight in me.
My tender age in sorrow did beginne;
  And still with sicknesses and shame
        Thou didst so punish sinne,
                  That I became
                   Most thinne.
                    With Thee
                Let me combine,
      And feel this day Thy victorie;
    For, if I imp my wing on Thine,
Affliction shall advance the flight in me.

---

Music: Christus – Franz Liszt

Lyrics: