Friday of the Third Week of Easter

April 23, 2021

Today, in God’s Lavish Mercy, we pray with Psalm 117. Consisting of only two verses, it is the shortest psalm and also the shortest chapter in the whole Bible. But it is packed with spiritual meaning.

Our Responsorial Psalm, anchored on Mark 16:15, sums up the whole mission of Jesus with which we have been gifted and entrusted.

There is Good News – the “goodest” possible news – In Jesus Christ, God has fulfilled the Promise to redeem us.

Steadfast is God’s kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

We should totally rejoice in this Good News

Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!

We are charged to preach this Good News to the whole world.

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

I think it is worth noting that as an alternative to this final verse, the liturgical directions indicate that we may respond simply with the word, “Alleluia”.

When we live in vibrant faith, our life is its own preaching – our life is an “Alleluia!” Our whole life proclaims the Good News”.

Prose Picture: taken from St. Augustine of Hippo