We cannot keep silent about what we have seen and heard.
From the Acts of the Apostles Acts 4:13-21
In those days, the leaders, the elders and the scribes, seeing the frankness of Peter and John and realizing that they were simple and uneducated people, were amazed and recognized them as those who had been with Jesus. Seeing the man who had been healed standing next to them, they did not know what to reply.
They brought them out of the Sanhedrin and began to consult among themselves saying: «What should we do to these men? An evident sign occurred through their work; it has become so well known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem that we cannot deny it. But so that it does not spread further among the people, we forbid them with threats to speak again to anyone in that name".
They called them back and ordered them not to speak in any way or to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied: «If it is right before God obey you instead of God, judge for yourself. We cannot keep silent about what we have seen and heard».
Then they, after further threatening them, not finding how to punish them, let them go because of the people, because they all glorified God for what happened.
R. I thank you, Lord, because you answered me. Or: R. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
Give thanks to the Lord that he is good, because its love it's forever. My strength and my song is the Lord, he was my salvation. Shouts of jubilation and victory in the tents of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord has done mighty things. R.
The right hand of the Lord is lifted up, the right hand of the Lord has done mighty things. I won't die, but I will stay alive and I will announce the works of the Lord. The Lord chastised me severely, but he did not deliver me to death. R.
Open the doors to me justice: I will enter to thank the Lord. This is the door of the Lord: through it the righteous enter. I thank you for answering me, because you have been my salvation. R.
SEQUENCE Facoltativa [vd. giorno di Pasqua]
Gospel acclamation
Alleluia. alleluia.
This is the day the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad. (Ps 117,24)
Alleluia.
Gospel
Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel.
The Word of April 15, 2023 4
From the Gospel according to Mark Mk 16.9-15
Resurrected in the morning, the first day after the Sabbath, Jesus he first appeared to Mary of Magdala, from whom he had driven out seven demons. She this she went to announce it to all who had been with him and were mourning and weeping. But they, hearing that he was alive and that he had been seen by her, did not believe.
After this, he appeared in another guise to two of them, as they were on their way into the countryside. They too returned to announce it to the others; but they didn't believe them either.
Alla fine apparve anche agli Undici, mentre erano a tavola, e li rimproverò per la loro incredulità e durezza di cuore, perché non avevano creduto a quelli che lo avevano visto risorto.
And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to every creature."
You are fixed on the rock of faith in the resurrection- (…)”Christ è risuscitato dai morti, primizia di coloro che sono morti; apparve a Cefa e quindi ai Dodici” (1Co 15,20; 15,5). Se per caso non credi ad un unico testimone, eccone dodici. “In seguito apparve a più di cinquecento fratelli in una sola volta” (1Co 15,6). Se non hanno fede nei dodici, credano ai cinquecento. (…)
Ci sono molti testimoni della risurrezione del Salvatore: la notte e la luce della luna piena; poiché era la sesta notte della luna. Il masso della tomba che l’accoglie (…): poiché il masso ha visto direttamente il Signore; il masso che fu tolto rotolandolo è pure testimone diretta della risurrezione, esso che era lì fino a quel giorno.
They witnessed the resurrection of the Only Begotten Son of God gli angeli con la loro presenza. Pietro, Giovanni e Tommaso e tutti gli apostoli: i primi perché sono corsi alla tomba e visto il lenzuolo e le bende della sepoltura, in cui era stato avvolto, rimasti sul posto dopo la risurrezione, che avevano toccato le mani e i piedi e contemplato il posto dei chiodi; tutti perché hanno avuto il dono del soffio del Salvatore e ricevuto, per la potenza dello Spirito Santo, il potere e l’onore di perdonare i peccati.
Other witnesses: the women who touched his feet understood the meaning of the earthquake and the splendor of the angel who was there; the bandages of which Christ si era liberato e che aveva lasciate. (…)
Peter also testifies that before he had denied three times, but who, after the threefold declaration, was put in charge of the government of the mystical sheep. (…) So you have many witnesses.
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
La fede, o è missionaria o non è fede.
Faith is not something just for me, for me to grow with faith: [...] faith must be transmitted, it must be offered, above all with testimony: "Go, let people see how you live” (cfr v. 15). […]
La fede è sociale, è per tutti: “Andate in tutto il mondo e proclamate il Vangelo ad ogni creatura” (v. 15). E questo non vuol dire fare proselitismo, come se io fossi una squadra di calcio che fa proselitismo, o fossi una società di beneficenza.
No, la fede è: “niente proselitismo”. È far vedere la rivelazione, perché lo Spirito Santo possa agire nella gente attraverso la testimonianza: come testimone, con servizio.
Il servizio è un modo di vivere. Se io dico che sono Christian e vivo come un pagano, non va! Questo non convince nessuno.
È la testimonianza. […] (cfr Mt 28,20). Preghiamo il Signore perché ci aiuti a vivere la nostra fede così: la fede da porte aperte, una fede trasparente, non “proselitista”, ma che faccia vedere: “Io sono così”.
E con questa sana curiosità, aiuti la gente a ricevere questo messaggio che li salverà. (Omelia da Santa Martha, 25 aprile 2020)
