Easter Thursday
First reading Acts 3:11-26
On this Easter Thursday, the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles brings us face to face with the astonishing mercy of God. Peter, addressing the people after the healing of the lame man, does not hesitate to confront them with the truth: “You handed over the Holy and Righteous One… you killed the author of life.” And yet, in the very same breath, he reveals the unfathomable depth of divine compassion, ‘this very Jesus, rejected and crucified, has been raised from the dead’. The Resurrection does not ignore our sin, but it transforms it; it does not justify our betrayal, but it reveals that even our worst failures cannot derail the plan of God. The victory of Jesus over death—the ultimate consequence of sin—is not merely a reversal of tragedy but a radiant sign that grace abounds where sin once reigned. This is the paradox at the heart of Easter: we who rejected Life itself are now offered life anew. The Risen Christ does not come to condemn but to restore, to lift us from the paralysis of guilt and despair, and to set us once more on the path of righteousness. It is a call to conversion, to return to God not in shame but in trust. Every wound, every misstep, every denial becomes, in His hands, a point of redemption. Jesus is risen not only in glory, but in the midst of our history, continuing to transform hearts, restore dignity, and reconcile us to the Father. In this light, Easter is not just a season, but a daily decision—to rise with Christ, to walk in His ways, and to allow His Resurrection to unfold within us, one act of faith and forgiveness at a time. Let’s reflect: Easter is an invitation to believe that nothing we have done can place us beyond the reach of divine mercy.
Don Giorgio