The Resurrection of the Lord
The Mass of Easter Day
The Mass of Easter Day
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 PsalmPS 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 2COL 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.
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.
AlleluiaCF. 1 COR 5:7
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed;
let us then feast with joy in the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed;
let us then feast with joy in the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 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
April 5, 2015 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 portion of the text in brackets is left
out of the reading.
* 10:34-43 Peter’s speech to the household of
Cornelius 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 and reworked it to some extent. It is
full of Luke’s universalist themes and language.
* 10:35 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 the peoples of the world are
loved by God.
* 10:36-43 This speech has the ring of Luke
speaking more directly to his Christian readers rather than 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.
* 10:38 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: 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8
6 [Your boasting is not appropriate.] 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:
* The portion of the text in brackets is left out
of the reading.
* 5:6 Paul uses a proverbial expression here.
Yeast is a common biblical symbol for a source of corruption that becomes
all-pervasive (sin).
* 5:7-8 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). 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.
Alternate Second Reading: 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 Alternate Second Reading:
* 3:1-4 This section summarizes the teaching of
the preceding section of this letter as a foundation for the instruction on
behavior that is to follow.
* 3:1 This verse is a creedal statement based on
Ps 110:1 that was used in the early church to show that the messianic promises
were fulfilled in Christ.
* 3:3-4 Here, although the resurrection of
Christ has occurred and it will be followed by the resurrection of the
believer, the complete manifestation of Jesus in His glory which He will share
with us are portrayed as part of the completion of the end time which although
partly here has not yet arrived in its fullness. Paul emphasizes that some of
the elements of the end time are still missing.
Gospel Reading: 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:
* 20:1-31 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 but
a series of individual stories strung together.
* 20:1-10 While the story of the empty tomb is
found in both the Matthean and the Lucan traditions, John’s version seems to be
a fusion of the two stories.
* 20:1 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.
* 20:2 Here, Mary runs away. She is not directed
by an angel (young man) as in the synoptic accounts. The plural “we” in the
second part of her statement might reflect an older tradition of more women
going to the tomb.
* 20:3-10 In Luke 24:12, This same basic
narrative 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.
* 20:6-8 The text 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.
* 20:9 This 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."
SOLEMNITY OF EASTER SUNDAY: RESURRECTION OF
THE LORD; APRIL 5, JOHN 20:1-9
(Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4)
(Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4)
KEY VERSE: "He saw and believed" (v 8).
TO KNOW: 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, and 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.
TO LOVE: Risen Lord, thank you for bringing your light into the darkness of our world.
TO SERVE: Where will I discover the Risen Lord today?
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).
Sunday 5 April 2015
Easter Sunday. W.
Acts 10:34, 37-43. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad—Ps 117(118):1-2, 16-17, 22-23. Colossians 3:1-4/1 Corinthians 5:6-8. John 20:1-9 [St Vincent Ferrer; Ven. Marie Madeleine d’Houët].
Acts 10:34, 37-43. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad—Ps 117(118):1-2, 16-17, 22-23. Colossians 3:1-4/1 Corinthians 5:6-8. John 20:1-9 [St Vincent Ferrer; Ven. Marie Madeleine d’Houët].
Can there be a better day
than this to end the greatest love story ever?
It is a never-ending story,
too, for the risen Lord reaches beyond places and times. How fitting that this
incomprehensible divine love between Father and Son is echoed in the love of
Mary of Magdala, first witness of the resurrection.
Like Mary, Lord, I wait in
grief. I wait with my doubt, guilt and longing. Sometimes I feel you are not
just absent but dead in my life, never to be seen again. Lord, I can understand
with my head how you break open this world. Help me share in the joyful vision
of resurrection. May I bear witness to God’s abiding love for us, walking among
us, dying with us, and opening the way of risen life for us.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
God Is Real
|
God has entered into history, into your life, into my life,
through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, who remains with you and
with me, personally, to the end of time. There is a stillness to the heart and
the mind when we recognize that fact and cherish it.
April
5
St. Vincent Ferrer
(1350?-1419)
St. Vincent Ferrer
(1350?-1419)
The polarization in the Church today is a mild breeze compared
with the tornado that ripped the Church apart during the lifetime of this
saint. If any saint is a patron of reconciliation, Vincent Ferrer is.
Despite
parental opposition, he entered the Dominican Order in his native Spain at 19.
After brilliant studies, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Peter de Luna—who
would figure tragically in his life.
Of a very
ardent nature, Vincent practiced the austerities of his Order with great
energy. He was chosen prior of the Dominican house in Valencia shortly after
his ordination.
The
Western Schism divided Christianity first between two, then three, popes.
Clement VII lived at Avignon in France, Urban VI in Rome. Vincent was convinced
the election of Urban was invalid though Catherine of Siena (April 29) was just
as devoted a supporter of the Roman pope. In the service of Cardinal de
Luna, Vincent worked to persuade Spaniards to follow Clement. When Clement
died, Cardinal de Luna was elected at Avignon and became Benedict XIII.
Vincent
worked for him as apostolic penitentiary and Master of the Sacred Palace. But
the new pope did not resign as all candidates in the conclave had sworn to do.
He remained stubborn despite being deserted by the French king and nearly all
of the cardinals.
Vincent
became disillusioned and very ill, but finally took up the work of simply
"going through the world preaching Christ," though he felt that any
renewal in the Church depended on healing the schism. An eloquent and fiery
preacher, he spent the last 20 years of his life spreading the Good News in
Spain, France, Switzerland, the Low Countries and Lombardy, stressing the need
of repentance and the fear of coming judgment. (He became known as the
"Angel of the Judgment.")
He tried,
unsuccessfully, in 1408 and 1415, to persuade his former friend to resign. He
finally concluded that Benedict was not the true pope. Though very ill, he
mounted the pulpit before an assembly over which Benedict himself was presiding
and thundered his denunciation of the man who had ordained him a priest.
Benedict fled for his life, abandoned by those who had formerly supported him.
Strangely, Vincent had no part in the Council of Constance, which ended the
schism.
Comment:
The split in the Church at the time of Vincent Ferrer should have been fatal—36 long years of having two "heads." We cannot imagine what condition the Church today would be in if, for that length of time, half the world had followed a succession of popes in Rome, and half, an equally "official" number of popes in, say, Rio de Janeiro. It is an ongoing miracle that the Church has not long since been shipwrecked on the rocks of pride and ignorance, greed and ambition. Contrary to Lowell's words, "Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne," we believe that "truth is mighty, and it shall prevail"—but it sometimes takes a long time.
The split in the Church at the time of Vincent Ferrer should have been fatal—36 long years of having two "heads." We cannot imagine what condition the Church today would be in if, for that length of time, half the world had followed a succession of popes in Rome, and half, an equally "official" number of popes in, say, Rio de Janeiro. It is an ongoing miracle that the Church has not long since been shipwrecked on the rocks of pride and ignorance, greed and ambition. Contrary to Lowell's words, "Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne," we believe that "truth is mighty, and it shall prevail"—but it sometimes takes a long time.
Quote:
“Precious stone of virginity...
Flaming torch of charity...
Mirror of penance...
Trumpet of eternal salvation...
Flower of heavenly wisdom...
Vanquisher of demons.”
(From the litanies of St. Vincent)
“Precious stone of virginity...
Flaming torch of charity...
Mirror of penance...
Trumpet of eternal salvation...
Flower of heavenly wisdom...
Vanquisher of demons.”
(From the litanies of St. Vincent)
Patron Saint of:
Builders
Reconciliation
Builders
Reconciliation
LECTIO DIVINA:
EASTER OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD (B)
Lectio:
Sunday, April 5, 2015
To see in the night and believe for love
John 20, 1-9
John 20, 1-9
1. Let us invoke the Holy Spirit
Lord Jesus Christ, today your light shines in us, source of life
and joy. Send the Spirit of love and truth, so that, like Mary Magdalene, Peter
and John, we too may discover and interpret in the light of the Word, the signs
of your divine presence in our world. May we welcome these signs in faith that
we may always live in the joy of your presence among us, even when all seems to
be shrouded in the darkness of sadness and evil.
2. The Gospel
a) A key to the reading:
For John, the Evangelist, the resurrection of Jesus is the
decisive moment in the process of his glorification, indissolubly linked with
the first phase of this glorification, namely his passion and death.
The event of the resurrection is not described in the spectacular and apocalyptic details of the synoptic Gospels. For John, the life of the Risen One is a reality that asserts itself silently, in the discreet and irresistible power of the Spirit.
The fact of the faith of the disciples is announced, "While it was still dark" and begins through the vision of the material signs that recall the Word of God. Jesus is the great protagonist of the story, but he does not appear personally.
The event of the resurrection is not described in the spectacular and apocalyptic details of the synoptic Gospels. For John, the life of the Risen One is a reality that asserts itself silently, in the discreet and irresistible power of the Spirit.
The fact of the faith of the disciples is announced, "While it was still dark" and begins through the vision of the material signs that recall the Word of God. Jesus is the great protagonist of the story, but he does not appear personally.
b) The text:
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the
tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away
from the tomb.
2 So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."
3 Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; 5 and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, 7 and the napkin, which had been on his head , not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.
8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
2 So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."
3 Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; 5 and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, 7 and the napkin, which had been on his head , not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.
8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
c) A subdivision of the text for a better understanding:
Verse 1: introduction and events prior to the description of the
situation;
Verse 2: Mary’s reaction and the first announcement of the newly discovered fact;
Verses 3-5: the immediate reaction of the disciples and the interaction among them.
Verses 6-7: verification of the event announced by Mary;
Verses 8-9: the faith of the other disciple and its relationship with the Sacred Scriptures.
Verse 2: Mary’s reaction and the first announcement of the newly discovered fact;
Verses 3-5: the immediate reaction of the disciples and the interaction among them.
Verses 6-7: verification of the event announced by Mary;
Verses 8-9: the faith of the other disciple and its relationship with the Sacred Scriptures.
3. A moment of interior and exterior silence
to open our hearts and make room within for the Word of God:
- A slow re-reading the whole passage;
- I too am in the garden: the empty sepulchre is before my eyes;
- I allow Mary Magdalene’s words to echo within me;
- I too run with her, Peter and the other disciple;
- I allow myself to be immersed in the joyful wonder of the faith in Jesus Christ, even though, like them, I do not see him with my bodily eyes.
- A slow re-reading the whole passage;
- I too am in the garden: the empty sepulchre is before my eyes;
- I allow Mary Magdalene’s words to echo within me;
- I too run with her, Peter and the other disciple;
- I allow myself to be immersed in the joyful wonder of the faith in Jesus Christ, even though, like them, I do not see him with my bodily eyes.
4. The gift of the Word to us
* Chapter 20 in John: this is quite a fragmented text where it is clear that the
editor has intervened several times to put the stress on some themes and to
unify the various texts received previously from preceding sources, at least
three sources.
* The day after the Sabbath: it is "the first day of the week"
and, in Christian circles, inherits the sacredness of the Jewish Sabbath. For
Christians it is the first day of the new week, the beginning of the new time,
the memorial day of the resurrection called "the day of the Lord" (dies
Domini).
Here and in verse 19, the Evangelist adopts an expression that is already traditional for Christians (e.g.: Mk 16: 2 e 9; Acts 20: 7) and is older that the expression that later became characteristic of the first evangelisation: "the third day" (e.g.: Lk 24: 7 e 46; Acts 10: 40;1Cor 15: 4).
Here and in verse 19, the Evangelist adopts an expression that is already traditional for Christians (e.g.: Mk 16: 2 e 9; Acts 20: 7) and is older that the expression that later became characteristic of the first evangelisation: "the third day" (e.g.: Lk 24: 7 e 46; Acts 10: 40;1Cor 15: 4).
* Mary Magdalene: This is the same woman as the one present at the foot of
the cross with other women (19: 25). Here she seems to be alone, but the words
in verse 2 ("we do not know") show that the original
story, worked on by the Evangelist, told of more women, as is true of the other
Gospels (cfr Mk 16: 1-3; Mt 28: 1; Lk23:
55-24, 1).
However the synoptics (cfr Mk 16: 1; Lk 24: 1), do not specify the reason for her visit to the sepulchre, seeing that it inferred that the rite of burial had already been carried out (19: 40); perhaps, the only thing missing is the funereal lamentation (cfr Mk 5: 38). In any case, the fourth Evangelist reduces to a minimum the story of the discovery of the empty sepulchre so as to focus the attention of the reader on what comes after.
However the synoptics (cfr Mk 16: 1; Lk 24: 1), do not specify the reason for her visit to the sepulchre, seeing that it inferred that the rite of burial had already been carried out (19: 40); perhaps, the only thing missing is the funereal lamentation (cfr Mk 5: 38). In any case, the fourth Evangelist reduces to a minimum the story of the discovery of the empty sepulchre so as to focus the attention of the reader on what comes after.
* Early, while it was still dark: Mark (16: 2) says something
different, but from both we understand that it was the very early hours of the
morning, when the light is very weak and still pale. Perhaps John stresses the
lack of light in order to contrast symbolically the darkness-lack of
faith and light-welcoming of the Gospel of the resurrection.
* The stone had been taken away from the tomb: the Greek work is generic: the stone had been
"taken away" or "removed" (different from: Mk 16:
3-4).
The verb to "take away" recalls Jn 1: 29: the Baptist points Jesus out as " Lamb who takes away the sin of the world". Perhaps the Evangelist wishes to recall the fact that this stone "taken away", flung away from the sepulchre is the material sign that death and sin have been "taken away" by the resurrection of Jesus?
The verb to "take away" recalls Jn 1: 29: the Baptist points Jesus out as " Lamb who takes away the sin of the world". Perhaps the Evangelist wishes to recall the fact that this stone "taken away", flung away from the sepulchre is the material sign that death and sin have been "taken away" by the resurrection of Jesus?
* So she ran and went to Peter and the other disciple: Mary Magdalene runs to those who share her
love for Jesus and her suffering for his atrocious death, now made worse by
this new discovery. She turns to them, perhaps because they were the only ones
who had not run away with the others and remained in contact with each other (
cfr 19: 15 e 26 - 27 ). She wants to share at least with them this final pain
of the outrage committed against the body.
We see how Peter and the "beloved disciple" and Magdalene are characterised by a special love that unites them with Jesus: it is indeed reciprocal love that makes them capable of sensing the presence of the loved person.
We see how Peter and the "beloved disciple" and Magdalene are characterised by a special love that unites them with Jesus: it is indeed reciprocal love that makes them capable of sensing the presence of the loved person.
* The other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved: is someone who appears only in this
Gospel and only beginning with chapter 13, when he exhibits great intimacy with
Jesus and deep understanding with Peter (13: 23-25). He appears at
every decisive moment of the passion and of the resurrection of Jesus, but
remains anonymous and many theories have been advanced on his identity. He is
probably the anonymous disciple of the Baptist who follows Jesus together with
Andrew (1: 35.40). Since the fourth Gospel never speaks of John the apostle and
keeping in mind that this Gospel of recounts details clearly known to an
eyewitness, the "disciple" has been identified with John the apostle.
The fourth Gospel has always been attributed to him even though he may not have
materially written it, yet the origin of this particular tradition is that this
Gospel and other writings are attributed to John. This also explains why he is
someone who is somewhat idealised.
"The one whom Jesus loved": It is clear that this is an addition not from the apostle, who would not have dared boast of having such a close relationship with the Lord, but from his disciples who wrote most of the Gospel and who coined this expression after reflection on the clearly privileged love between Jesus and this (cfr 13: 25; 21: 4. 7). Where we read the simpler expression "the other disciple" or "the disciple", obviously the editors did not make the addition.
"The one whom Jesus loved": It is clear that this is an addition not from the apostle, who would not have dared boast of having such a close relationship with the Lord, but from his disciples who wrote most of the Gospel and who coined this expression after reflection on the clearly privileged love between Jesus and this (cfr 13: 25; 21: 4. 7). Where we read the simpler expression "the other disciple" or "the disciple", obviously the editors did not make the addition.
* They have taken the Lord out of the tomb: these words, which recur in verses 13 e
15, show that Mary was afraid that body-snatchers had taken the body, a thing
common then, so much so that the Roman Emperor had to promulgate severe decrees
to check this phenomenon. In Matthew (28:11—15), the chief priests use this
possibility to discredit the fact of the resurrection of Jesus and, eventually,
to justify the lack of intervention on the part of the soldiers who guarded the
tomb.
* The Lord: the
title "Lord" implies an acknowledgement of divinity and evokes divine
omnipotence. That is why this term was used by Christians for the risen Jesus.
Indeed, the fourth Evangelist uses this term only in Paschal stories (see also
20: 13).
* We do not know where they have laid him: these words recall what happened to
Moses, whose place of burial was unknown (Dt34: 10). Another implicit
reference is to the words of Jesus himself when he says that it is impossible
to know where he was going (7: 11. 22; 8: 14. 28. 42; 13: 33; 14: 1-5; 16: 5).
* They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter…but he did
not go in: This passage
shows the anxiety that these disciples were living through.
The fact that the "other disciple" stopped, is more than just a gesture of politeness or respect towards someone older, it is the tacit acknowledgement that Peter, within the apostolic group, held a place of pre-eminence, even though this is not stressed. It is, therefore, a sign of communion. This gesture could also be a literary device to move from the event in terms of faith in the resurrection to the following and peak moment in the story.
The fact that the "other disciple" stopped, is more than just a gesture of politeness or respect towards someone older, it is the tacit acknowledgement that Peter, within the apostolic group, held a place of pre-eminence, even though this is not stressed. It is, therefore, a sign of communion. This gesture could also be a literary device to move from the event in terms of faith in the resurrection to the following and peak moment in the story.
* The linen
cloths lying and the napkin…rolled up in a place by itself: although
the other disciple did not go in, he had already seen something. Peter,
crossing the entrance of the sepulchre, discovers the proof that no theft of
the body took place: no thief would have wasted time to unfold the body, spread
the cloths in an orderly fashion (on the ground would be translated
better by "spread out" or "laid carefully on the floor")
and then to roll up the napkin in a place by itself. Such an operation would
have been complicated also because the oils with which the body had been
anointed (especially myrrh) acted like glue, causing the cloths to stick
perfectly and solidly to the body, almost as what happened to mummies. Besides,
the napkin is folded; the Greek verb can also mean "rolled", or it
could indicate that that piece of light cloth had, in large part, preserved the
form of the face over which it had been placed, almost like a mortuary mask.
The cloths are the same as those cited in Jn 19:40.
Everything is in order in the sepulchre, even though the body of Jesus is not there, and Peter was well able to see inside the sepulchre because the day was breaking. Different from Lazarus (11: 44), then, Christ rises abandoning completely his funerary trappings. Ancient commentators note that, in fact, Lazarus had to use the cloths again for his definitive burial, while Christ had no further use of them because he was not to die again (cfr Rm 6, 9).
Everything is in order in the sepulchre, even though the body of Jesus is not there, and Peter was well able to see inside the sepulchre because the day was breaking. Different from Lazarus (11: 44), then, Christ rises abandoning completely his funerary trappings. Ancient commentators note that, in fact, Lazarus had to use the cloths again for his definitive burial, while Christ had no further use of them because he was not to die again (cfr Rm 6, 9).
* Peter…saw…the other disciple…saw and believed: at the beginning of the story, Mary also
"saw". Although some translations use the same verb, the original
text uses three different verbs (theorein for Peter; blepein for
the other disciple and Mary Magdalene; idein, here, for the other
disciple), allowing us to understand that there is a growth in the spiritual
depth of this "seeing" that, in fact, culminates in the faith of the
other disciple.
The anonymous disciple had certainly not seen anything other than that which Peter had observed. Perhaps he interprets what he sees differently from others because of the special relationship of love he had with Jesus (Thomas’ experience is emblematic, 29: 24-29). In any case, as indicated by the tense of the Greek verb, his is still an initial faith, so much so that he cannot find ways of sharing this experience with Mary or Peter or any of the other disciples (there is no further reference to this).
However, for the fourth Evangelist the double "see and believe" is quite meaningful and refers exclusively to faith in the resurrection of the (cfr 20: 29), Because it was impossible to believe truly before the Lord had died and rose (cfr 14: 25-26; 16: 12-15). The double vision-faith, then, characterises the whole of this chapter and "the beloved disciple" is presented as a model of faith who succeeds in understanding the truth about God through material (cfr also 21: 7).
The anonymous disciple had certainly not seen anything other than that which Peter had observed. Perhaps he interprets what he sees differently from others because of the special relationship of love he had with Jesus (Thomas’ experience is emblematic, 29: 24-29). In any case, as indicated by the tense of the Greek verb, his is still an initial faith, so much so that he cannot find ways of sharing this experience with Mary or Peter or any of the other disciples (there is no further reference to this).
However, for the fourth Evangelist the double "see and believe" is quite meaningful and refers exclusively to faith in the resurrection of the (cfr 20: 29), Because it was impossible to believe truly before the Lord had died and rose (cfr 14: 25-26; 16: 12-15). The double vision-faith, then, characterises the whole of this chapter and "the beloved disciple" is presented as a model of faith who succeeds in understanding the truth about God through material (cfr also 21: 7).
* As yet they did not know the Scripture: this obviously refers to all the other
disciples. Even for those who had lived close to Jesus, then, it was difficult
to believe in Him, and for them, as for us also, the only gateway that allows
us to cross the threshold of authentic faith is knowledge of the Scriptures
(cfr Lk 24: 26-27; 1Cor 15: 34;Acts 2:
27-31) in the light of the events of the resurrection.
5. A few questions to direct our reflection and its practice
a) What, in the concrete, does it mean for us "to believe
in Jesus the Risen One"? What difficulties do we encounter? Does the
resurrection solely concern Jesus or is it really the foundation of our faith?
b) The relationship that we see between Peter, the other disciple and Mary Magdalene is clearly one of great communion in Jesus. In what persons, realities, institutions do we today find this same understanding of love and the same "common union" founded on Jesus? Where can we read the concrete signs of the great love for the Lord and "his own" that inspired all the disciples?
c) When we look at our lives and the reality that surrounds them, both near and far, do we see as Peter saw (he saw reality, but holds on to them, that is, to the death and burial of Jesus) or do we see as the other disciple saw (he sees facts and discovers in them signs of new life)?
b) The relationship that we see between Peter, the other disciple and Mary Magdalene is clearly one of great communion in Jesus. In what persons, realities, institutions do we today find this same understanding of love and the same "common union" founded on Jesus? Where can we read the concrete signs of the great love for the Lord and "his own" that inspired all the disciples?
c) When we look at our lives and the reality that surrounds them, both near and far, do we see as Peter saw (he saw reality, but holds on to them, that is, to the death and burial of Jesus) or do we see as the other disciple saw (he sees facts and discovers in them signs of new life)?
6. Let us pray asking for grace and praising God
with a hymn taken from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians
(paraphrase of 1: 17-23).
The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation
in the knowledge of him,
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you,
what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power
in us who believe, according to the working of his great might
which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead
and made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion,
and above every name that is named,
not only in this age but also in that which is to come;
and he has put all things under his feet
and has made him the head over all things for the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of him who fills all in all.
may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation
in the knowledge of him,
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you,
what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power
in us who believe, according to the working of his great might
which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead
and made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion,
and above every name that is named,
not only in this age but also in that which is to come;
and he has put all things under his feet
and has made him the head over all things for the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of him who fills all in all.
7. Closing prayer
The liturgical context is of great importance in praying this
Gospel and the event of the resurrection of Jesus, which is the hub of our
faith and of our Christian life. The sequence that characterises the
Eucharistic liturgy of today and of the whole week leads us to praise the
Father and the Lord Jesus.
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer sacrifice and praise.
The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb;
and Christ, the undefiled
has sinners to his Father reconciled.
Death with life contended:
Combat strangely ended!
Life’s own Champion, slain,
Yet lives to reign.
Tell us Mary:
say what you see upon the way.
The tomb the living did enclose;
I saw Christ’s glory as he rose!
The angels there attesting;
Shroud with grave-clothes resting.
Christ, my hope, has risen:
He goes before you into Galilee.
That Christ is truly risen from the dead
we know.
Victorious king,
your mercy show.
Offer sacrifice and praise.
The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb;
and Christ, the undefiled
has sinners to his Father reconciled.
Death with life contended:
Combat strangely ended!
Life’s own Champion, slain,
Yet lives to reign.
Tell us Mary:
say what you see upon the way.
The tomb the living did enclose;
I saw Christ’s glory as he rose!
The angels there attesting;
Shroud with grave-clothes resting.
Christ, my hope, has risen:
He goes before you into Galilee.
That Christ is truly risen from the dead
we know.
Victorious king,
your mercy show.
We may conclude our prayer also with this lively invocation by a
contemporary poet, Marco Guzzi:
Love, Love, Love!
I wish to feel, live and express all this Love,
Which is a joyful commitment in the world
and a happy contact with the others.
Only you free me, only you release me.
And the snows fall to water
the greenest of valleys in creation.
Love, Love, Love!
I wish to feel, live and express all this Love,
Which is a joyful commitment in the world
and a happy contact with the others.
Only you free me, only you release me.
And the snows fall to water
the greenest of valleys in creation.
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