Mass Reading and Reflection for Saturday April 11th 2026

First Reading: (Acts 4:13–21)

Psalm: (Psalm 118)

The Lord is my strength and my might; He has become my salvation.

Alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
Alleluia.

Gospel: (Mark 16:9–15)

Reflection:

Today’s message is about faith that moves from fear to bold witness.

In the Gospel, the disciples struggle with belief. Even after hearing that Jesus is risen, they doubt. Fear keeps them hidden, and uncertainty clouds their faith. Jesus rebukes them, not to condemn, but to awaken them. Faith is not based on seeing, but on trusting the truth revealed by Christ.

This same transformation is seen in the First Reading. Peter and John, once fearful, now stand with courage before powerful authorities. Though uneducated and ordinary, they speak with conviction. Why? Because they have encountered the risen Christ.

Their response is powerful:

“We cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

True faith cannot remain silent.

The Reflection reminds us that faith is not mere knowledge. If we see something, we know it, we do not need faith. But faith is trusting in what we do not see, grounded in the authority of Christ.

Like the disciples, we may begin with fear, doubt, or hesitation. We may choose the “safe option,” avoiding risk or witness. But an encounter with the risen Lord changes everything. Fear gives way to courage. Silence gives way to proclamation.

A simple but profound image captures this: the “exit sign” in a church. What we receive inside the church, Word, Eucharist, prayer, must come alive when we leave. Faith is not meant to remain inside walls; it must be lived.

So the challenge is clear:

• Do we merely say we believe, or do we truly trust and live it?

• Do we give God our leftovers, or our first and our best?

The risen Christ gives us a new beginning. Like the apostles, we are sent, not because we are perfect or qualified, but because we are called.

And so, like Peter and John, may we have the courage to say with our lives:

We cannot remain silent.

Amen.

God bless you