Monday of the Angel
Monday of the Angel
The prayer for the sick is held in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere.
Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Christ is risen from the dead
and will die no more.
He awaits us in Galilee!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Matthew 28,8-15
Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples. And suddenly, coming to meet them, was Jesus. 'Greetings,' he said. And the women came up to him and, clasping his feet, they did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; there they will see me.' Now while they were on their way, some of the guards went off into the city to tell the chief priests all that had happened. These held a meeting with the elders and, after some discussion, handed a considerable sum of money to the soldiers with these instructions, 'This is what you must say, "His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep." And should the governor come to hear of this, we undertake to put things right with him ourselves and to see that you do not get into trouble.' So they took the money and carried out their instructions, and to this day that is the story among the Jews.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Christ is risen from the dead
and will die no more.
He awaits us in Galilee!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The passage of the Gospel of Matthew has us stay in the day of Easter, the day of salvation. The women received the proclamation of Jesus' resurrection from the angel and, obeying his words, they "left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy" so that they could report what the angel had told them. But while they were running toward the house where the disciples were staying, Jesus came towards them. They were already far from the tomb. And they were running. We could say that Easter is always in a hurry. The world needs to rise. Jesus does not want to stop the race, if anything he wants to help them to understand more deeply what had happened. Jesus repeats to the women almost the same words of the angel, "Do not be afraid, go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." There is a difference to be emphasized. Jesus says, "Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." Jesus calls his disciples "my brothers" as if to suggest that his passionate love fills distances, destroys every separation, and unites all men and women in a fraternity. Easter must represent a new birth for all disciples. There is no lack of people who try to block the proclamation of Easter and its power of change so that everyone can remain as always. The world wants the tombs sealed; it uses lies and corruption to keep the news of Jesus' resurrection from spreading. Ever since the first Easter, anyone who proclaims this news may be dragged before kings and judges to be condemned. And today, like then, there are many Christians who suffer for the sake of faith. Th risen Lord is already in these innumerable Galilees and asks the women to tell the disciples to join him in these peripheries. Easter is for all and not only for some privileged ones. The disciples are called to meet the risen Jesus where there is need to make life and love rise again.