The Resurrection of the Lord
The Mass of Easter Sunday
Lectionary: 42
The Mass of Easter Sunday
Lectionary: 42
Peter proceeded to
speak and said:
“You know what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.
We are witnesses of all that he did
both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible,
not to all the people, but to us,
the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commissioned us to preach to the people
and testify that he is the one appointed by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in him
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
“You know what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.
We are witnesses of all that he did
both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible,
not to all the people, but to us,
the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commissioned us to preach to the people
and testify that he is the one appointed by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in him
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Responsorial Psalm PS 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
R/ (24) This is the day the Lord has made; let us
rejoice and be glad.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R/ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.”
R/ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
R/ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R/ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.”
R/ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
R/ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Reading 2 COL 3:1-4
Brothers and
sisters:
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.
Or 1 COR 5:6B-8
Brothers and
sisters:
Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?
Clear out the old yeast,
so that you may become a fresh batch of dough,
inasmuch as you are unleavened.
For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.
Therefore, let us celebrate the feast,
not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?
Clear out the old yeast,
so that you may become a fresh batch of dough,
inasmuch as you are unleavened.
For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.
Therefore, let us celebrate the feast,
not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Sequence - Victimæ Paschali Laudes
Christians, to the
Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.
Gospel JN 20:1-9
On the first day of
the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.
Scripture Study –
Easter Sunday
April 20, 2014 Easter
Sunday
HAPPY EASTER! May the Risen Lord grant you a
most holy and blessed Easter. This Sunday the church celebrates Easter, the
original Christian feast. The Resurrection of Jesus is the great foundational
event of Christianity and is at the very center of our beliefs about Jesus.
This event established the pattern for our new relationship with the Father and
carries within itself the promise of our own resurrection.
First Reading: Acts 10: 34a, 37-43
34 Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see
that God shows no partiality.35 Rather, in every nation whoever fears
him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him. 36 You know the word (that) he sent to the Israelites as he
proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, 37 what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee
after the baptism that John preached,38 how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and
healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of
the Jews and (in) Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.40 This man God raised (on) the third day and granted that he
be visible, 41 not to all the people, but to us, the
witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose
from the dead. 42 He commissioned us to preach to the
people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living
and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his
name.”
NOTES on First Reading:
The reading is taken from Peter’s speech to
the household of Cornelius which is probably fairly typical of early Christian
preaching to Gentiles. For this speech Luke has taken material that was already
part of the Christian tradition (as young as it was) and reworked it to some
extent. It is full of Luke’s universalist themes and language.
Verses 35-36 are not included in the reading
but I left them in for completeness. God’s choice of Israel to be the people of
God so that He might reveal Himself did not mean that he withheld Divine favor
from all the other peoples of the earth. All peoples of the world are loved by
God.
This speech has the ring of Luke speaking more
directly to his Christian readers rather than of Peter speaking to the
household of Cornelius, as is indicated by the opening words, “You know.” The
speech traces the continuity between the preaching and teaching of Jesus of
Nazareth and the proclamation of Jesus by the early Christians. The emphasis on
this divinely ordained continuity (Acts 10:41) is meant to assure Luke’s
readers of the fidelity of Christian tradition to the words and deeds of Jesus.
The early church saw the ministry of Jesus as
an integral part of God’s revelation. For this reason they were interested in
conserving the historical substance of the ministry of Jesus. Under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit this tradition lead to the writing and
preservation of the four gospels. The passion and urgency in the tone of the
remaining verses (up to 44) of this speech clearly show this desire to pass on
the teaching of Jesus.
Second Reading (Choice 1): Colossians 3:1-4
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in
God. 4 When Christ your life appears, then you
too will appear with him in glory.
NOTES on Second Reading (Choice 1):
In this short reading, Paul urges the
Colossians to hold on to the gospel message that the risen, living Christ is
the source of their salvation. This will keep them free from false religious
values and notions concerning the things of the world (Col 3:1-2). They have
died to these but one day when Christ appears, they will live with Him in the
presence of God (Col 3:3-4).
Second Reading (Choice 2): 1 Corinthians
5:6b-8
6 Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? 7 Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh
batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ,
has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us celebrate the feast,
not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
NOTES on Second Reading (Choice 2):
In verse 6, Paul uses a proverbial expression.
Yeast is a common biblical symbol for a source of corruption that becomes all-pervasive
(sin).
In the Jewish calendar, Passover was followed
immediately by the festival of Unleavened Bread. In preparation for Passover
all traces of old bread were removed from the house, and during both
celebrations only unleavened bread was eaten. Paul uses the sequence of these
two feasts as an image of Christian life. Jesus’ death (the true Passover
celebration) is followed by the life of the Christian community, marked by
newness, purity, and integrity (a perpetual feast of unleavened bread). It is
thought by many that Paul may have been writing around Passover time (See 1 Cor
16:5). This is often called a little Easter homily. If it really is then it is
the earliest one in Christian literature.
Gospel Reading (Choice 1): John 20:1-9
1 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the
tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed
from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and
to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the
Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the
tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple
ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not
go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he
went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the
burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had
arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had
to rise from the dead.
NOTES on Gospel (Choice 1):
In Chapter 20 of the Gospel of John, the risen
Jesus reveals his glory and confers the Spirit. This story fulfills the basic
need for testimony to the resurrection. It is not a single record, however, but
a series of individual stories strung together. Our gospel reading comes from
the first of this series of stories, the story of the empty tomb. While this
story is also found in both the Matthean and the Lucan traditions, John’s
version seems to be a fusion of the two stories.
At the beginning of the story, John says it
is”Still dark.” According to Mark the sun had risen; Matthew describes it as
“dawning,” and Luke refers to early dawn. In John, Mary sees the stone removed,
not the empty tomb.
Here, Mary runs away. She is not directed by
an angel (young man) as in the synoptic (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) accounts. The
plural “we” in the second part of her statement might reflect an older
tradition of more women going to the tomb.
In verses 3-10 Peter and the other disciple,
generally believed to be John, go to the tomb to see for themselves. In Luke
24:12, this same basic story is told of Peter alone. It is missing in some
important manuscripts and may be borrowed from a tradition similar to John. See
also Luke 24:24.
The text in verses 6-8 seems to indicate that
some special feature about the state of the burial cloths caused the beloved
disciple to believe. Perhaps the details implied that the grave had not been
robbed or the body simply removed.
Verse 9 is probably a general reference to the
scriptures as in Luke 24:26 and 1 Cor 15:4 rather than to any specific quote.
Several Old Testament passages suggest themselves: Psalm 16:10; Hosea 6:2;
Jonah 2:1,2,10.
Gospel Reading (Choice 2): Matthew 28: 1-10
1 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the
tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed
from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and
to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the
Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the
tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple
ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not
go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he
went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the
burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had
arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had
to rise from the dead.
NOTES on Gospel Reading (Choice 2):
* 28:1-10 Versions of this story are also told
in Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; and John 20:1-10. The resurrection was and still
is the foundational event of Christian faith. It has always been the
cornerstone of Christian preaching and teaching and was seen as pointing toward
the permanent Kingdom of God in heaven and the beginning of the Kingdom on
earth which is still in the process of coming to fulfillment.
Generally, resurrection stories are either
“Empty Tomb” stories where the disciples find the empty tomb or “Appearition”
stories where Jesus appears to His disciples after rising from the dead.
All of the material in Matt 28 after verse 8
is peculiar to Matthew. Even where he follows Mark closely, Matthew has altered
the telling of the story so much that he leaves a dramatically different
impression in the reader’s mind than does the story in Mark. Matthew’s story
interprets the resurrection as the turning of the ages (See Matthew 28:2-4)and
so he endowes it with greater dignity and splendor.
* 28:1 The meaning of Matthew’s time
references is a little unclear here. The sabbath ended at sunset, and dawning
could refer to the appearance of the evening star so the time could be in the
early evening but it is most likely that early morning at dawn is meant since
other texts such as Luke 24:1 and Mark 16:2 put the time clearly at sunrise.
Mathew changes the number of women present from three as in Mark 16:1 to two
(in keeping with 27:61) and alters the purpose of their visit to the tomb. In
Mark, they go to the tomb to anoint the body but in Matthew there was a formal
sealing of the tomb and placement of guards (27:66) that would have eliminated
the possibility of their entry. In Matthew they go to see the tomb. Some
scholars connect this with a later rabbinic tradition that said a tomb should
be watched for three days.
*28:2 The earthquake, the angel of the Lord,
and the rolling away of the stone are reminders of apocalyptic images which
were initially introduced at the crucifixion scene and are repeated now to make
a connection between the cross and the resurrection. The apocalyptic elements
also point forward to the appearance of the Risen Jesus in vv 9-10 and they do
not mark the moment of the resurrection. Jesus was already gone. Mark’s young
man in the tomb is explicitely interpreted as an angel by Matthew and is
described as being responsible for rolling back the stone. One of the
apologetic elements of the story is that the tomb is never open without
witnesses being present. These witnesses who saw the stone being rolled back
know that the body was not removed because they were there when the tomb was
opened. Jesus had already left.
The stone which had been a monument marking
death’s victory is moved and now, with the angel sitting upon it, is a symbol
of Christ’s victory over death.
* 28:3-4 The angel’s appearance is meant to
remind us of the transfigured Christ (17:2) which in turn is meant to remind us
of Jesus’ predictions of His death and resurrection. It is also in keeping with
angelic descriptions in the Old Testament (Dan 10:6 and 7:9). Fear is the
common reaction in the scriptures to such an angelic visitation and apocalyptic
signs and the guards react as expected. Matthew links the guards here in 28:4
with the associates of the centurion in 27:54 by using the same Greek word,
“terountes.”
* 28:5 The common angelic command not to be
afraid is part of most angel appearance stories. Here the angel’s knowledge is
stressed in that he knows the women’s errand.
* 28:6 The angel adds the element of prophetic
fulfilment which is one of Matthew’s interests (12:40; 16:21; 17:23; 20:19;
26:32) to his statement, taken from Mark, that Jesus is risen.
* 28:7 Matthew continues with his apologetic
theme by having the angel explicitely say in a creedal formula as part of a
message to the disciples that Jesus is risen. With the seal on the entrance and
the guard outside the tomb there can be no other explanation for the absence of
Jeus’ body.
Matthew omits the special mention of Peter
that Mark had in the message to the disciiples. Possible reasons for this are
that Peter has been dealt with in 16:17-19 and Matthew has a general address to
the disciples as a group (16-20) that Mark does not have.
The meeting in Galilee implies that they have
been forgiven their betrayal and that Galilee, where it all began, is a place
of vision and grace.
* 28:8 Unlike Mark, in Matthew, the women’s
fear is an element of the angelophany alone and so they run away from the tomb
because the angel instructed them to go quickly to tell the disciples when they
were commissioned by the angel to be messengers of the resurrection.
* 28:9-10 Jesus now appears to the women and essentially
repeats the message of the angel. The Christophany is also found in other early
Christian tradition (John 20:11-18) but Matthew seems to have added their
worship of Jesus as a parallel of the action of the desciples in 28:17 and to
emphasize the reality of His bodily presence.
Of all the post resurrection appearance
stories only this one is missing the element of nonrecognition where his
disciples do not recognize the Risen Christ. It is likely that Matthew is
reflecting a traditional story of Jesus’ appearance to a group near the tomb
and that John’s story (John 20:14-18) expresses an independantly developed
version of the same tradition.
The reference to the disciples as “brothers”
is another indication of forgiveness for their lack of faithfulness and also
seems to indicate a change in the basic relationship between the Lord and his
followers. This relationship change is also reflected in John’s Gospel 15:11-17
by Jesus’ use of “friends” in place of “servants.”
* 28:10 There are two separate traditions of
the Lord meeting His disciples after the resurrection. One has the meeting in
Galilee and the other in Jerusalem. While it is likely that the crucifixion
would have caused a scattering of disciples back to Galilee, where it all
began, and where they would have felt relatively safe from the establishment of
Jerusalem, both religious and governmental, we can no longer determine which of
these two is more closely historical. Whether they remained in Jerusalem or
went to Galilee where they met and were regathered by the Risen Lord the, early
church did end up, either way, centered on Jerusalem very shortly after Jesus’
resurrection and Ascention.
In Chapter 20 of the Gospel of John, the risen
Jesus reveals his glory and confers the Spirit. This story fulfills the basic
need for testimony to the resurrection. It is not a single record, however, but
a series of individual stories strung together. Our gospel reading comes from
the first of this series of stories, the story of the empty tomb. While this
story is also found in both the Matthean and the Lucan traditions, John’s
version seems to be a fusion of the two stories.
At the beginning of the story, John says it
is”Still dark.” According to Mark the sun had risen; Matthew describes it as
“dawning,” and Luke refers to early dawn. In John, Mary sees the stone removed,
not the empty tomb.
Here, Mary runs away. She is not directed by
an angel (young man) as in the synoptic (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) accounts. The
plural “we” in the second part of her statement might reflect an older
tradition of more women going to the tomb.
In verses 3-10 Peter and the other disciple,
generally believed to be John, go to the tomb to see for themselves. In Luke
24:12, this same basic story is told of Peter alone. It is missing in some
important manuscripts and may be borrowed from a tradition similar to John. See
also Luke 24:24.
The text in verses 6-8 seems to indicate that
some special feature about the state of the burial cloths caused the beloved
disciple to believe. Perhaps the details implied that the grave had not been
robbed or the body simply removed.
Verse 9 is probably a general reference to the
scriptures as in Luke 24:26 and 1 Cor 15:4 rather than to any specific quote.
Several Old Testament passages suggest themselves: Psalm 16:10; Hosea 6:2;
Jonah 2:1,2,10.
Meditation: "John saw the empty tomb and believed"
What was it like for the disciple who had stood at the cross of
Jesus and then laid him in a tomb on Good Friday, to come back three days later
and discover that the sealed tomb was now empty? John, along with Peter, was
the first apostle to reach the tomb of Jesus on Easter Sunday morning. Like
Mary Magdalene and the other disciples, John was not ready to see an empty tomb
and to hear the angel's message, Why do you seek the living among the
dead (Luke 24:5)? What did John see in the tomb that led him to
believe in the resurrection of Jesus? It was certainly not a dead body. The
dead body of Jesus would have disproven the resurrection and made his death a
tragic conclusion to a glorious career as a great teacher and miracle worker.
When John saw the empty tomb he must have recalled Jesus' prophecy that he
would rise again after three days. Through the gift of faith John realized that
no tomb on earth could contain the Lord and giver of life. John saw and
believed (John 20:8).
John had to first deal with the empty tomb before he could meet
the risen Lord later that evening along with the other apostles who had locked
themselves in the upper room out of fear of the Jewish authorities (John 20:19-23). John
testified as an eye-witness to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus
Christ: What we have seen, heard, and touched we proclaim as the
eternal word of life which existed from the beginning (1 John 1:1-4).
John bears witness to what has existed from all eternity. This "word of
life" is Jesus the word incarnate, but also Jesus as the word announced by
the prophets and Jesus the word now preached throughout the Christian church
for all ages to come.
One thing is certain, if Jesus had not risen from the dead and
appeared to his disciples, we would never have heard of him. Nothing else could
have changed sad and despairing men and women into people radiant with joy and
courage. The reality of the resurrection is the central fact of the Christian
faith. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord gives us "eyes of
faith" to know him and the power of his resurrection. The greatest joy we
can have is to encounter the living Christ and to know him personally as our
Lord and Savior. Do you accept the good news of Jesus' death and resurrection
with skeptical doubt and disbelief or with trusting faith and joyful
wonderment?
"Lord Jesus Christ, you have triumphed over the grave and
you have won for us new life and resurrection power. Give me the eyes of faith
to see you in your glory. Help me to draw near to you and to grow in the
knowledge of your great love for us and your great victory over sin and
death."
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Empty Tomb,
Expectant Heart
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Easter Sunday
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Father Robert Presutti, LC
John 20:1-9
On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb
early in the morning while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been
removed from the tomb. So she ran off to Simon Peter and the other disciple,
the one whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from
the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him." So Peter and the other
disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple
ran faster than Peter, and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down to look in
and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived
after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the
cloth that had covered his head, not lying with the burial cloths but rolled
up in a separate place. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first,
also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the
scripture, that he had to rise from the dead.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, you are the source of all life because
you are life itself. Your resurrection gives me the hope of being raised from
the dead to rejoice with you forever in heaven. Thank you for your presence
in my life. I love you, and I want to follow after you with all my heart. Be
with me now, and inspire my prayer.
Petition: Lord Jesus, grant me the joy of seeing my hopes
constantly kindled by your power over sin and death. May the strength of your
resurrection overcome the weaknesses of my human nature.
1. Confusing Signs: Without faith, realities that should
inspire hope and expectation only cause confusion. Jesus’ empty tomb is the
sign of the most complete victory, the most extreme love, and the most
powerful presence. Mary Magdalene, Peter and John all see the empty tomb. But
their limited faith needs time to grow and completely accept the great gift
that is offered to them. In approaching the mystery of God, I must stoke up
my faith. Otherwise, what should cause hope and courage will only wind up
becoming a stumbling block for me. Only a sincere and generous faith in
Christ enables me to take the circumstances of life in hope, confidence and
security.
2. Running to the Experience of Faith: Running is an integral
part of this Gospel. Mary Magdalene runs. Peter runs, and John outruns Peter.
Love for the Lord creates a sense of urgency. What they saw at the tomb could
have been seen without running at all. But promptness is a sign of love for
the Lord. If I wish to experience Christ and the power of his resurrection, I
need to have a sense of urgency in my relationship with the Lord. I must
strive to meet him and give myself to him in my here and now. I can’t wait
for the “ideal” moment. If I don´t give myself to Christ now, under the
present conditions, there is no reason to think I ever will.
3. Faith Begins with the Experience of the Senses, but
Does Not End There: John, Peter and Mary Magdalene will eventually have an
unshakeable conviction in the Resurrection, and become messengers of the
Resurrection. But they first need to see the empty tomb and pick up the
wrappings. They would also need to see and touch the risen Christ. All this
would cause wonderment, reflection, and eventually a growing realization that
would induce faith. God works in the same way in my life. First there are the
lived experiences of my life: people I meet, circumstances I face, events
that occur… Then my wonderment and reflection on what it all means. Then the
slow dawning of faith.
“It is clearly evident that Christ´s resurrection is the
greatest Event in the history of salvation, and indeed, we can say in the
history of humanity, since it gives definitive meaning to the world. The
whole world revolves around the Cross, but only in the resurrection does the
Cross reach its full significance of salvific Event. The Cross and
Resurrection constitute the one paschal mystery in which the history of the
world is centered. Therefore Easter is the Church´s greatest Solemnity. Every
year she celebrates and renews this Event, fraught with all the prophecies of
the Old Testament, beginning with the "Protoevangelium" of the
Redemption, and of all the eschatological hopes and expectations projected
towards the "fullness of time", which was realized when the Kingdom
of God definitively entered human history and the universal order of
salvation” (Blessed John Paul II, General Audience, March 1, 1989).
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, you know how
to prepare your disciples to experience your presence deeply and know you
intimately. I ask today for a deepening in my faith in your resurrection. Let
all the events of my life point me to the truth that you are alive.
Resolution: I will be prompt in meeting the duties and responsibilities of
today, in the truth of the risen Christ.
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SOLEMNITY OF EASTER SUNDAY: THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD,
JOHN 20:1-9
SUNDAY, APRIL 20
(Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4)
SUNDAY, APRIL 20
(Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4)
KEY VERSE: "He saw and believed" (v 8).
READING: The night was over and the morning light of the new creation was beginning to dawn. In the garden of the resurrection, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark, grieving over the death of her beloved Lord. When she discovered that the stone closing the entrance to the tomb had been rolled away, she feared that the body of Jesus had been stolen. Mary ran to tell Peter and John. The two disciples raced to the tomb to see for themselves. John (the "disciple whom Jesus loved," Jn 20:2), arrived first and peered into the empty tomb. The shroud was still there; the body had not been stolen. Then John allowed Peter, the elder Apostle, to enter the tomb first and see for himself. Peter was slow to understand the meaning of the empty tomb, but John was convinced of Christ's resurrection; he "saw and believed" (v 8). Like John, we see no physical evidence of Christ's resurrection, yet we know in faith that he is alive in the world and in the hearts of all who believe in him.
REFLECTING: Where will I discover the Risen Lord today?
PRAYING: Risen Lord, thank you for bringing your light into the darkness of our world.
NOTE: Following an ancient tradition, the Church regards the eight days (an octave) from the Paschal Feast of the Resurrection to the Second Sunday of Easter as a single unit of celebration. The preface for Easter day is prayed again on the Second Sunday of Easter even though it is a week behind us: "We praise you with greater joy than ever on this Easter day." The celebration of the liturgy is full of joy at the close of the octave of this greatest feast! The Easter season of 50 days continues through the Seventh Sunday of Easter (Celebrated as the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord in some dioceses).
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
He’s Alive
The Resurrection is neither optimism nor idealism; it is truth.
Atheism proclaims the tomb is full; Christians know it is empty.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad
He went in, he saw, and he believed.The tomb is empty, the cloth has been rolled carefully and placed aside. They don’t understand, but they believe! What does it all mean? The new yeast is living. It rises: it makes bread what it is. What is it like inside the open tomb? It is dim, cold, silent, and now empty. Jesus’ body is gone. It is not a place of life, but an empty stage. The theatre of death is over. Something beyond comprehension has happened, something unnerving, exciting—it is life! We rejoice in the words of the Sequence: ‘Life’s own Champion, slain, yet lives to reign.’
April
20
St. Conrad of Parzham
(1818-1894)
St. Conrad of Parzham
(1818-1894)
Conrad spent most of his life as porter in Altoetting, Bavaria,
letting people into the friary and indirectly encouraging them to let God into
their lives.
His
parents, Bartholomew and Gertrude Birndorfer, lived near Parzham, Bavaria. In
those days this region was recovering from the Napoleonic wars. A lover of
solitary prayer and a peacemaker as a young man, Conrad joined the Capuchins as
a brother. He made his profession in 1852 and was assigned to the friary in
Altoetting. That city’s shrine to Mary was very popular; at the nearby Capuchin
friary there was a lot of work for the porter, a job Conrad held for 41 years.
At first
some of the other friars were jealous that such a young friar held this
important job. Conrad’s patience and holy life overcame their doubts. As porter
he dealt with many people, obtaining many of the friary supplies and generously
providing for the poor who came to the door. He treated them all with the
courtesy Francis expected of his followers.
Conrad’s
helpfulness was sometimes unnerving. Once Father Vincent, seeking quiet to
prepare a sermon, went up the belltower of the church. Conrad tracked him down
when someone wanting to go to confession specifically requested Father Vincent.
Conrad
also developed a special rapport with the children of the area. He
enthusiastically promoted the Seraphic Work of Charity, which aided neglected
children.
Conrad
spent hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. He regularly asked the
Blessed Mother to intercede for him and for the many people he included in his
prayers. The ever-patient Conrad was canonized in 1934.
Comment:
As we can see from his life as well as his words, Conrad of Parzham lived a life that attracted others because of a special quality, something Chesterton alluded to when he wrote, "The moment we have a fixed heart we have a free hand" (Orthodoxy, p. 71). If we want to understand Conrad, we have to know where he fixed his heart. Because he was united to God in prayer, everyone felt at ease in Conrad’s presence.
As we can see from his life as well as his words, Conrad of Parzham lived a life that attracted others because of a special quality, something Chesterton alluded to when he wrote, "The moment we have a fixed heart we have a free hand" (Orthodoxy, p. 71). If we want to understand Conrad, we have to know where he fixed his heart. Because he was united to God in prayer, everyone felt at ease in Conrad’s presence.
Quote:
"It was God’s will that I should leave everything that was near and dear to me. I thank him for having called me to religious life where I have found such peace and joy as I could never have found in the world. My plan of life is chiefly this: to love and suffer, always meditating upon, adoring and admiring God’s unspeakable love for his lowliest creatures" (Letter of Saint Conrad).
"It was God’s will that I should leave everything that was near and dear to me. I thank him for having called me to religious life where I have found such peace and joy as I could never have found in the world. My plan of life is chiefly this: to love and suffer, always meditating upon, adoring and admiring God’s unspeakable love for his lowliest creatures" (Letter of Saint Conrad).
LECTIO DIVINA:
THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD (A)
Lectio:
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Jesus’ resurrection
He is living among us
John 20, 1-9
He is living among us
John 20, 1-9
1. Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, send your
Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them
to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the
Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events
of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all
hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
2. Reading
a) A key to guide the reading:
Let us read the text where the evangelist seeks to tell the
readers the meaning of faith in the resurrection. He seeks to do this by means
of the visit of the two disciples to the empty tomb and the appearance of Jesus
to Mary Magdalene. While reading, let us pay attention to the details of the
story as told in the Gospel of John who presents a very deep symbolic
dimension.
b) A division of the text to assist a careful reading:
Jn 20, 1-3: the disturbing experience of the empty tomb
Jn 20, 4-10: Peter and the beloved disciple run to the sepulchre: the beloved disciple saw and believed
Jn 20, 11-18: Jesus shows himself first to Mary Magdalene and gives her a command.
Jn 20, 4-10: Peter and the beloved disciple run to the sepulchre: the beloved disciple saw and believed
Jn 20, 11-18: Jesus shows himself first to Mary Magdalene and gives her a command.
c) The text:
1-3: It was very
early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to
the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came
running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. 'They
have taken the Lord out of the tomb,' she said, 'and we don't know where they
have put him.' So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb.
4-10: They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter, following him, also came up, went into the tomb, saw the linen cloths lying on the ground and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had still not understood the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.
11-18: But Mary was standing outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, as she wept, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' 'They have taken my Lord away,' she replied, 'and I don't know where they have put him.' As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?' Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.' Jesus said, 'Mary!' She turned round then and said to him in Hebrew, 'Rabbuni!' -- which means Master. Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' So Mary of Magdala told the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord,' and that he had said these things to her.
4-10: They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter, following him, also came up, went into the tomb, saw the linen cloths lying on the ground and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had still not understood the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.
11-18: But Mary was standing outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, as she wept, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' 'They have taken my Lord away,' she replied, 'and I don't know where they have put him.' As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?' Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.' Jesus said, 'Mary!' She turned round then and said to him in Hebrew, 'Rabbuni!' -- which means Master. Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' So Mary of Magdala told the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord,' and that he had said these things to her.
3. A moment of prayerful silence
so that the Word of God may enter into us and enlighten our
life.
4. Some questions
to help us in our personal reflection.
a) What struck you in this text that describes the first
experience of the resurrection?
b) The beloved disciple went in, saw and believed. What did he see and what led him to believe? Why is it that the text tells us only the reaction of the beloved disciple and not that of Peter?
c) What changes take place in Mary Magdalene during the dialogue? How did this change happen?
d) What mission or command does Jesus give Mary Magdalene?
e) Mary Magdalene was seeking Jesus in one way and meets him in another. How does this occur in our lives?
f) To see and believe. The beloved disciple saw and believed. What is it that leads me to believe that Jesus is alive, that he is present in our midst, today, giving new life to the poor?
g) Have you gone through an experience of loss or death? What gave you new life or new hope and the joy of life? What is it that I say when I affirm, "I believe in the resurrection"?
b) The beloved disciple went in, saw and believed. What did he see and what led him to believe? Why is it that the text tells us only the reaction of the beloved disciple and not that of Peter?
c) What changes take place in Mary Magdalene during the dialogue? How did this change happen?
d) What mission or command does Jesus give Mary Magdalene?
e) Mary Magdalene was seeking Jesus in one way and meets him in another. How does this occur in our lives?
f) To see and believe. The beloved disciple saw and believed. What is it that leads me to believe that Jesus is alive, that he is present in our midst, today, giving new life to the poor?
g) Have you gone through an experience of loss or death? What gave you new life or new hope and the joy of life? What is it that I say when I affirm, "I believe in the resurrection"?
5. A key to the reading
for those who wish to go deeper into the text.
a) In John’s Gospel, faith in the resurrection is encountered in
the description of the passion and death of Jesus:
* In describing the passion and death of Jesus, John’s Gospel
wants to point out not the sentence passed on a political subversive, but the hour
for glorifying the Son of God. During the whole process that carries Jesus to
his death, he is master of what happens to himself and to his adversaries. For
John, the cross is synonymous with "lifting", rising on high, to be
with the Father (Jn 3,14; 8,28; 12,32-34). It is the beginning of the
resurrection that is revealed fully on the first day of the week (Jn 20,1).
That is why in John’s Gospel there is no agony in the garden (Jn 18,1-2). When
Jesus is in prison, the soldiers are frightened when Jesus says: "I am
he!" (Jn 18,6). When Jesus is dying, he does not cry out like in the other
Gospels. Serenely he takes leave of his friends, of his mother, and then
expires (Jn 19,28-30).
* The story of the passion is another more concrete example of
the fact that John does not simply relate historical facts, but puts them
through an X-Ray. He tries to show that which the facts hide. When Pilate,
Hanna, the Jewish and Roman authorities try to end Jesus’ life, in truth they
were allowing Jesus to be elevated towards God. From his prison, Jesus directs
events and gives his life. "I lay down my life of my own free will, and as
it is in my power to lay it down, so it is in my power to take it up again. No
one takes it from me, I lay it down of my own free will" (Jn 10,17-18).
All can set their minds at rest and be full of hope because Jesus has overcome
and has been glorified by the Father (Jn 17,5).
b) Peter and the beloved disciple go the empty tomb (vv. 1-10):
* The experience of the resurrection of the early community was
a long process, an experience that grew slowly like the growth of a strong
tree. At first, many did not believe in the witness of those who had
experienced the living presence of Jesus (Mt 28,17; Mk 16,11.13.14; Lk
24,11.36.41; Jn 20,25). But the experience of the resurrection expressed in the
form of apparitions was so strong, so deep and so convincing that it succeeded
in overcoming human unbelief confronted with the possibility of the victory of
life over death.
* The women were more faithful than the men. They were the first
to believe in the Good News of the resurrection (Mt 28,9-10; Lk 24,4-11; Jn
20,11-18). Confronted by the news of Mary Magdalene who sees the empty tomb,
Peter and the beloved disciple run to the tomb. The Gospel relates the strange
news according to which "the other disciple" ran faster than Peter
and arrived first at the tomb, but did not go in. He looked inside and saw the
bandages on the ground. After he went in he saw also the folded shroud to one
side. The Gospel then says, "He saw and believed!" But nothing is
said of Peter’s reaction although it was he who had gone first into the empty
tomb. At the end, the Gospel adds, "Till this moment they had failed to
understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead" (Jn
20,9). This means that the Old Testament on its own does not communicate a
complete understanding of that which it contains. The light for understanding
the real meaning of the Old Testament appears at the very moment when the
beloved disciple "saw and believed". His experience of the
resurrection was like a light that struck the eyes of the disciples and
revealed to them the complete and full meaning of the Old Testament. It is this
light to the sight that liberates the words of the Old Testament.
* A comparison to understand the change. In a circle of friends,
someone showed a photo where there was a man with a harsh face, with the finger
raised, almost assaulting the public. All thought that he was an inflexible
person, unpleasant, who distanced himself from others. At that moment, a boy
arrived and said, "This is my father!" The others looked at him and
said, "A harsh father, then!’ The boy replied, "No, no, no! He is
very loving. My father is a lawyer. That photo was taken in court when he was
denouncing the crime of a landowner who wanted to dispossess a poor family of
some unused land that they owned for a long time! My father won the case. The
poor family was not deprived of its land!" All looked at the photo again
and said, "What a beautiful photo!" Almost by miracle, a light was
shed on the photo and it assumed a new look. That harsh face became bathed in
great tenderness! The words of the son changed everything, while changing
nothing! The words and actions of Jesus, born of his experience as son,
received and raised by the Father, without changing one letter or comma,
changed the whole meaning of the Old Testament (Mt 5,17-18). The same God, who
seemed so distant and harsh, took on the traits of a good Father, full of
tenderness!
c) Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene:
* Mary Magdalene was one of the few who had the courage to stay
with Jesus until the time of his death on the cross. She goes back to the tomb
to be where she had been with the Beloved for the last time. She looks for
Jesus with whom she had lived for the last three years. The disciples from
Emmaus will see Jesus, but will not recognise him (Lk 24,15-16). The same thing
happens to Mary Magdalene. She sees Jesus, but does not recognise him. She
thinks he is the gardener. But she is looking for the Jesus of the past, the
same as he was three days previously. The image of Jesus as he was stops her
from recognising the living Jesus, present before her.
* Jesus pronounces the name "Mary!" This was the
signal for her to recognise him: the same voice, the same manner of saying the
name. She replies, "Master!" Jesus has come back, and it was the same
Jesus who had died on the cross. Her first impression is that death was just a
painful incident along the way, and that now all was back as it was before.
Mary embraces Jesus strongly. It was the same Jesus she knew.
* In fact, it is the same Jesus, but the manner of being with
her is not the same. Jesus says to her, "Do not cling to me, because I
have not yet ascended to the Father!" He will go to the Father. Mary
Magdalene must leave Jesus and take on her mission: to announce to the brothers
that Jesus has ascended to the Father. Jesus opened the way for us and brought
God close to us again.
* The way the apparition of Jesus to Mary Magdalene is described
makes us realise the stages of the journey she has to go through, from the
painful search to the new encounter of Easter. These too are the stages we all
have to go through in our lives, the search for God by living the Gospel.
6. Psalm 27 (26)
God is my victory
Yahweh is my light and my salvation,
whom should I fear?
Yahweh is the fortress of my life,
whom should I dread?
When the wicked advance against me
to eat me up,
they, my opponents, my enemies,
are the ones who stumble and fall.
Though an army pitch camp against me,
my heart will not fear,
though war break out against me,
my trust will never be shaken.
One thing I ask of Yahweh,
one thing I seek:
to dwell in Yahweh's house
all the days of my life,
to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh,
to seek out his temple.
For he hides me away under his roof
on the day of evil,
he folds me in the recesses of his tent,
sets me high on a rock.
Now my head is held high
above the enemies who surround me;
in his tent I will offer sacrifices of acclaim.
I will sing, I will make music for Yahweh.
Yahweh, hear my voice as I cry,
pity me, answer me!
Of you my heart has said, 'Seek his face!'
Your face, Yahweh, I seek;
do not turn away from me.
Do not thrust aside your servant in anger,
without you I am helpless.
Never leave me, never forsake me,
God, my Saviour.
Though my father and mother forsake me,
Yahweh will gather me up.
Yahweh, teach me your way,
lead me on the path of integrity
because of my enemies;
do not abandon me to the will of my foes
-- false witnesses have risen against me,
and are breathing out violence.
This I believe: I shall see the goodness of Yahweh,
in the land of the living.
Put your hope in Yahweh, be strong,
let your heart be bold, put your hope in Yahweh.
whom should I fear?
Yahweh is the fortress of my life,
whom should I dread?
When the wicked advance against me
to eat me up,
they, my opponents, my enemies,
are the ones who stumble and fall.
Though an army pitch camp against me,
my heart will not fear,
though war break out against me,
my trust will never be shaken.
One thing I ask of Yahweh,
one thing I seek:
to dwell in Yahweh's house
all the days of my life,
to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh,
to seek out his temple.
For he hides me away under his roof
on the day of evil,
he folds me in the recesses of his tent,
sets me high on a rock.
Now my head is held high
above the enemies who surround me;
in his tent I will offer sacrifices of acclaim.
I will sing, I will make music for Yahweh.
Yahweh, hear my voice as I cry,
pity me, answer me!
Of you my heart has said, 'Seek his face!'
Your face, Yahweh, I seek;
do not turn away from me.
Do not thrust aside your servant in anger,
without you I am helpless.
Never leave me, never forsake me,
God, my Saviour.
Though my father and mother forsake me,
Yahweh will gather me up.
Yahweh, teach me your way,
lead me on the path of integrity
because of my enemies;
do not abandon me to the will of my foes
-- false witnesses have risen against me,
and are breathing out violence.
This I believe: I shall see the goodness of Yahweh,
in the land of the living.
Put your hope in Yahweh, be strong,
let your heart be bold, put your hope in Yahweh.
7. Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to
understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions
and grant us the strength to practice that which your Word has revealed to us.
May we, like Mary, your mother, not only listen to but also practise the Word.
You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever
and ever. Amen.
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