Easter Sunday - The Resurrection of the Lord
- The Mass of Easter Day
Lectionary: 42
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.
Or
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
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
Victimae 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 5:7B-8A
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.
Or
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.
Or
GospelMK 16:1-7
When the sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome
bought spices so that they might go and anoint him.
Very early when the sun had risen,
on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb.
They were saying to one another,
"Who will roll back the stone for us
from the entrance to the tomb?"
When they looked up,
they saw that the stone had been rolled back;
it was very large.
On entering the tomb they saw a young man
sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe,
and they were utterly amazed.
He said to them, "Do not be amazed!
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified.
He has been raised; he is not here.
Behold the place where they laid him.
But go and tell his disciples and Peter,
'He is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him, as he told you.'"
Or
GospelLK 24:13-35
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus' disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
"What are you discussing as you walk along?"
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?"
And he replied to them, "What sort of things?"
They said to him,
"The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see."
And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?"
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, "Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
"Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the eleven and those with them who were saying,
"The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"
Then the two recounted
what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.
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."
A Daily Quote for the Easter season: The Womb of the Earth Gives Birth, by
Hesychius of Jerusalem, died around 450 A.D.
"Hidden first in a womb of flesh, he sanctified
human birth by his own birth. Hidden afterward in the womb of the earth, he
gave life to the dead by his resurrection. Suffering, pain and sighs have now
fled away. For who has known the mind of God, or who has been his counselor if
not the Word made flesh who was nailed to the cross, who rose from the dead and
who was taken up into heaven? This day brings a message of joy: it is the day
of the Lord's resurrection when, with himself, he raised up the race of Adam.
Born for the sake of human beings, he rose from the dead with them. On this day
paradise is opened by the risen one, Adam is restored to life and Eve is
consoled. On this day the divine call is heard, the kingdom is prepared, we are
saved and Christ is adored. On this day, when he had trampled death under foot,
made the tyrant a prisoner and despoiled the underworld, Christ ascended into
heaven as a king in victory, as a ruler in glory, as an invincible charioteer.
He said to the Father, 'Here am I, O God, with the children you have given me.'
And he heard the Father’s reply, 'Sit at my right hand until I make your
enemies your footstool' (Psalm 110:1)." To him be glory, now and for ever, through
endless ages. Amen. [excerpt from EASTER HOMILY
5–6]
Hesychius of Jerusalem was a priest and a Scripture
scholar who worked with Jerome and Cyril of Jerusalem. He wrote a commentary on
the whole Bible.He died around 450 AD.
Easter Sunday
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Assuming that Jesus’ crucifixion occurred in A.D. 30, Paul (Saul) was converted in A.D. 33 and came to Jerusalem from his preaching in Damascus around A.D. 36. If the Acts of the Apostles is arranged in chronological order, today’s event occurs after Paul’s meeting with Peter in Jerusalem. What we hear of today is the inauguration of the mission to the Gentiles. Cornelius, a Roman centurion of the Italian Regiment, has had a vision and in this vision an angel has told him to send to Joppa (Jaffa) and summon a man named Simon who is called Peter. About noon the following day, Peter also had a vision in which he saw heaven opened and all kinds of animals which he is told to kill and eat. Peter replies “Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean” so we can assume that the animals were considered by the Jews to be ritually unclean and therefore forbidden. The voice in Peter’s vision says “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This vision occurs three times and leaves Peter wondering what it means when Cornelius’ emissaries arrive. Peter accompanies the emissaries back to Cornelius and once Cornelius recounts his vision, Peter realizes the meaning of his own vision, saying “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” Cornelius has been expecting Peter and has called together is relatives and close friends; there is quite a crowd gathered.
34a Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, [“You know]
Peter presumes that these gentiles have heard the message of Christ; a message which he will repeat as his teaching. Some commentaries presuppose that “the people” do not know this story and that the comment “you know” (actually contained in verse 36) is addressed to the Christian reader of Acts; a presupposition which is unwarranted in my opinion.
37 what has happened all over Judea,
Judea is controlled by the Romans and all the goings-on there are familiar to the centurion.
beginning in Galilee
This is the same formula used by the Sanhedrin when they accused Jesus in front of Pilate (Luke 23:5).
after the baptism that John preached, 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.
See Luke 3:21-23.
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.
All the way from Galilee to Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
A figurative expression for crucifixion. Deuteronomy 21:23 says that anyone who is hanged on a tree is cursed by God. Jesus bore the curse of the covenant for us because we were unable to offer the perfect sacrifice which would atone for the sins of the people.
40 This man God raised
The resurrection is ascribed to the Father.
(on) the third day
The number three in Hebrew numerology is the number of completion. The world was formed in the first three days of creation and filled in the second three days of that same creation event (Genesis 1). Isaac was restored to life (resurrected) in the eyes of Abraham on the third day when God stopped the sacrifice and substituted a ram instead (Genesis 22:2-12).
and granted that he be visible, 41 not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
The witnesses to the resurrection were not indiscriminate or accidental.
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
A true resurrection, a ghost does not eat and drink.
42 He commissioned us
Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20.
to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as
Up until this time, the actions of the Apostles have been restricted to the Jews; now Peter is addressing Gentiles for the first time.
judge of the living and the dead.
This role of Jesus is presented again in Acts 17:31. This role will be exercised by the Risen Jesus, precisely as “the Christ”.
43 To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him
Belief is more than just acceptance, it is total commitment; not to a concept, but to Jesus Himself.
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
The name is the authority. Jesus was given full authority by His Father and He gave that authority to the apostles and their successors. The ambassador speaks in the “name” of the one whom he represents. Remember the old police shows where they would say “Stop in the name of the law”? The policeman was invoking the authority which he represented.
2nd Reading - Colossians 3:1-4
This reading is a practical application of the teaching given in the earlier chapters of Colossians, designed to suit the circumstances that have arisen in the Colossian church.
By His death and resurrection the Son of God frees us from the power of Satan and of death. “By baptism men are grafted into the paschal mystery of Christ; they die with Him and rise with Him” (Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 6).
In other words, Christians have been raised to a new kind of life, a supernatural life, whereby they share, even while on earth, in the glorious life of the risen Jesus. This life is at present spiritual and hidden, but when our Lord comes again in glory, it will become manifest and glorious.
Two practical consequences flow from this teaching – the need to seek the “things that are above”, that is, the things of God; and the need to pass unnoticed in one’s everyday work and ordinary life, yet to do everything with a supernatural purpose in mind. This means that those who try to seek holiness by imitating Jesus in His hidden life will be people full of hope; they will be optimistic and happy people; and after their death they will share in the glory of the Lord: they will hear Jesus’ praise, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21).
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
This contrasts “things that are above” and “things that are on the earth”.
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Taken from Psalm 110:1, this shows His position of Lordship and complete victory.
2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died,
In baptism, we die to sin and are raised in Christ.
and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
The Christian is no longer attached to the material things of this life, but to the spiritual things of a life in Christ.
4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.
Although St. Paul’s main emphasis throughout has been on the present resurrection with Christ in baptism, this is a reference to the future resurrection at the end of time.
Alternate 2nd Reading - 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8
Unlike the Gospels, where leaven is a symbol of the inner dynamism of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21), St. Paul here uses it as a metaphor for the corruptive influence of evil (Galatians 5:9). St. Paul uses examples taken from the Jewish celebration of the Passover and feast of unleavened bread. The Passover is the principal Jewish feast, and its central rite is the eating of the Passover lamb. At the Passover meal, and on the 7 days following, which were also feast days (the feast of unleavened bread), the eating of leavened bread was forbidden. In Exodus 12:15,19 God laid it down that during these days no leaven should be kept in Jewish homes.
6b Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?
The little yeast which is added to the dough doesn’t cause pimples on the loaf, it causes the entire loaf to rise.
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.
A reference to the feast of unleavened bread, of which the Passover was the first day. It represents a new beginning.
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.
The Church is always engaged in a Paschal celebration, because Christ by His death and resurrection has accomplished the salvation foreshadowed in the Exodus. We are lead from slavery to sin into the promised eternal kingdom and during our journey we are sustained by the bread which comes down from heaven, the Eucharist. Sincerity (single-mindedness or purity of intention) and truthfulness should distinguish the Christian.
Gospel - John 20:1-9
None of the Evangelists describes the actual resurrection itself, for it was witnessed by no one. The gospels and 1 Corinthians 15:4-7 witness to the fact of the resurrection, however, by the testimony to the empty tomb and the appearances of the Risen Christ to His disciples. It is fitting that on Easter morning we should hear an account of what happened on that first Easter morning as Mary Magdalene went to the tomb.
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.
All the Gospel accounts are in substantial agreement concerning the time when the tomb was first found to be empty, before dawn on Sunday morning. Mary Magdalene is named also by Matthew and Mark along with companions; Luke gives no names but speaks of “women” in the plural. In this verse John seems to make it appear that Mary Magdalene was alone but this is not necessarily the case as we will see in the next verse.
2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved,
Mark 16:7 relates that the women were told to announce the resurrection to Peter and the other disciples; John is the only evangelist to single out the beloved disciple (himself).
and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.”
The fact that she say “we don’t” would make it appear that She wasn’t alone at the tomb, but was in fact accompanied by other women.
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.
No reason is given for John’s remaining outside the tomb; given the amazing/distressing news that he and Peter had come to investigate. It is assumed that he did not enter because Peter was the leader of the apostles and as such it was his responsibility to lead the investigation.
6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
The Greek participle translated here seems to indicate that the wrappings were flattened, deflated, as if they were emptied when the body of Jesus rose and disappeared – as if it had come out of the wrappings without their being undone, passing right through them (just as He later entered the Upper Room when the doors were shut). One can readily understand how this would amaze a witness, how unforgettable the scene would be.
7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
This head cloth would have been tied, rolled like a triangular bandage, under the chin and over the top of the head to secure the mouth in a closed position. The first point to note is that it was not with the other wrappings, but placed to one side. The second, even more surprising thing is that, unlike the clothes, it still has a certain volume, like a container, possibly due to the stiffness given it by the ointments: this is what the Greek participle, here translated as “rolled”, seems to indicate. From these details concerning the empty tomb one deduces that Jesus’ body must have risen in a heavenly manner, that is, in a way which transcended the laws of nature. It was not only a matter of the body being reanimated as happened, for example, in the case of Lazarus, who had to be unbound before he could walk (see John 11:44).
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.
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Assuming that Jesus’ crucifixion occurred in A.D. 30, Paul (Saul) was converted in A.D. 33 and came to Jerusalem from his preaching in Damascus around A.D. 36. If the Acts of the Apostles is arranged in chronological order, today’s event occurs after Paul’s meeting with Peter in Jerusalem. What we hear of today is the inauguration of the mission to the Gentiles. Cornelius, a Roman centurion of the Italian Regiment, has had a vision and in this vision an angel has told him to send to Joppa (Jaffa) and summon a man named Simon who is called Peter. About noon the following day, Peter also had a vision in which he saw heaven opened and all kinds of animals which he is told to kill and eat. Peter replies “Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean” so we can assume that the animals were considered by the Jews to be ritually unclean and therefore forbidden. The voice in Peter’s vision says “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This vision occurs three times and leaves Peter wondering what it means when Cornelius’ emissaries arrive. Peter accompanies the emissaries back to Cornelius and once Cornelius recounts his vision, Peter realizes the meaning of his own vision, saying “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” Cornelius has been expecting Peter and has called together is relatives and close friends; there is quite a crowd gathered.
34a Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, [“You know]
Peter presumes that these gentiles have heard the message of Christ; a message which he will repeat as his teaching. Some commentaries presuppose that “the people” do not know this story and that the comment “you know” (actually contained in verse 36) is addressed to the Christian reader of Acts; a presupposition which is unwarranted in my opinion.
37 what has happened all over Judea,
Judea is controlled by the Romans and all the goings-on there are familiar to the centurion.
beginning in Galilee
This is the same formula used by the Sanhedrin when they accused Jesus in front of Pilate (Luke 23:5).
after the baptism that John preached, 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.
See Luke 3:21-23.
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.
All the way from Galilee to Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
A figurative expression for crucifixion. Deuteronomy 21:23 says that anyone who is hanged on a tree is cursed by God. Jesus bore the curse of the covenant for us because we were unable to offer the perfect sacrifice which would atone for the sins of the people.
40 This man God raised
The resurrection is ascribed to the Father.
(on) the third day
The number three in Hebrew numerology is the number of completion. The world was formed in the first three days of creation and filled in the second three days of that same creation event (Genesis 1). Isaac was restored to life (resurrected) in the eyes of Abraham on the third day when God stopped the sacrifice and substituted a ram instead (Genesis 22:2-12).
and granted that he be visible, 41 not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
The witnesses to the resurrection were not indiscriminate or accidental.
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
A true resurrection, a ghost does not eat and drink.
42 He commissioned us
Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20.
to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as
Up until this time, the actions of the Apostles have been restricted to the Jews; now Peter is addressing Gentiles for the first time.
judge of the living and the dead.
This role of Jesus is presented again in Acts 17:31. This role will be exercised by the Risen Jesus, precisely as “the Christ”.
43 To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him
Belief is more than just acceptance, it is total commitment; not to a concept, but to Jesus Himself.
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
The name is the authority. Jesus was given full authority by His Father and He gave that authority to the apostles and their successors. The ambassador speaks in the “name” of the one whom he represents. Remember the old police shows where they would say “Stop in the name of the law”? The policeman was invoking the authority which he represented.
2nd Reading - Colossians 3:1-4
This reading is a practical application of the teaching given in the earlier chapters of Colossians, designed to suit the circumstances that have arisen in the Colossian church.
By His death and resurrection the Son of God frees us from the power of Satan and of death. “By baptism men are grafted into the paschal mystery of Christ; they die with Him and rise with Him” (Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 6).
In other words, Christians have been raised to a new kind of life, a supernatural life, whereby they share, even while on earth, in the glorious life of the risen Jesus. This life is at present spiritual and hidden, but when our Lord comes again in glory, it will become manifest and glorious.
Two practical consequences flow from this teaching – the need to seek the “things that are above”, that is, the things of God; and the need to pass unnoticed in one’s everyday work and ordinary life, yet to do everything with a supernatural purpose in mind. This means that those who try to seek holiness by imitating Jesus in His hidden life will be people full of hope; they will be optimistic and happy people; and after their death they will share in the glory of the Lord: they will hear Jesus’ praise, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21).
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
This contrasts “things that are above” and “things that are on the earth”.
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Taken from Psalm 110:1, this shows His position of Lordship and complete victory.
2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died,
In baptism, we die to sin and are raised in Christ.
and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
The Christian is no longer attached to the material things of this life, but to the spiritual things of a life in Christ.
4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.
Although St. Paul’s main emphasis throughout has been on the present resurrection with Christ in baptism, this is a reference to the future resurrection at the end of time.
Alternate 2nd Reading - 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8
Unlike the Gospels, where leaven is a symbol of the inner dynamism of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21), St. Paul here uses it as a metaphor for the corruptive influence of evil (Galatians 5:9). St. Paul uses examples taken from the Jewish celebration of the Passover and feast of unleavened bread. The Passover is the principal Jewish feast, and its central rite is the eating of the Passover lamb. At the Passover meal, and on the 7 days following, which were also feast days (the feast of unleavened bread), the eating of leavened bread was forbidden. In Exodus 12:15,19 God laid it down that during these days no leaven should be kept in Jewish homes.
6b Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?
The little yeast which is added to the dough doesn’t cause pimples on the loaf, it causes the entire loaf to rise.
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.
A reference to the feast of unleavened bread, of which the Passover was the first day. It represents a new beginning.
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.
The Church is always engaged in a Paschal celebration, because Christ by His death and resurrection has accomplished the salvation foreshadowed in the Exodus. We are lead from slavery to sin into the promised eternal kingdom and during our journey we are sustained by the bread which comes down from heaven, the Eucharist. Sincerity (single-mindedness or purity of intention) and truthfulness should distinguish the Christian.
Gospel - John 20:1-9
None of the Evangelists describes the actual resurrection itself, for it was witnessed by no one. The gospels and 1 Corinthians 15:4-7 witness to the fact of the resurrection, however, by the testimony to the empty tomb and the appearances of the Risen Christ to His disciples. It is fitting that on Easter morning we should hear an account of what happened on that first Easter morning as Mary Magdalene went to the tomb.
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.
All the Gospel accounts are in substantial agreement concerning the time when the tomb was first found to be empty, before dawn on Sunday morning. Mary Magdalene is named also by Matthew and Mark along with companions; Luke gives no names but speaks of “women” in the plural. In this verse John seems to make it appear that Mary Magdalene was alone but this is not necessarily the case as we will see in the next verse.
2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved,
Mark 16:7 relates that the women were told to announce the resurrection to Peter and the other disciples; John is the only evangelist to single out the beloved disciple (himself).
and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.”
The fact that she say “we don’t” would make it appear that She wasn’t alone at the tomb, but was in fact accompanied by other women.
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.
No reason is given for John’s remaining outside the tomb; given the amazing/distressing news that he and Peter had come to investigate. It is assumed that he did not enter because Peter was the leader of the apostles and as such it was his responsibility to lead the investigation.
6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
The Greek participle translated here seems to indicate that the wrappings were flattened, deflated, as if they were emptied when the body of Jesus rose and disappeared – as if it had come out of the wrappings without their being undone, passing right through them (just as He later entered the Upper Room when the doors were shut). One can readily understand how this would amaze a witness, how unforgettable the scene would be.
7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
This head cloth would have been tied, rolled like a triangular bandage, under the chin and over the top of the head to secure the mouth in a closed position. The first point to note is that it was not with the other wrappings, but placed to one side. The second, even more surprising thing is that, unlike the clothes, it still has a certain volume, like a container, possibly due to the stiffness given it by the ointments: this is what the Greek participle, here translated as “rolled”, seems to indicate. From these details concerning the empty tomb one deduces that Jesus’ body must have risen in a heavenly manner, that is, in a way which transcended the laws of nature. It was not only a matter of the body being reanimated as happened, for example, in the case of Lazarus, who had to be unbound before he could walk (see John 11:44).
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.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church,
Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
SOLEMNITY OF EASTER SUNDAY OF THE
RESURRECTION OF THE LORD
SUNDAY, APRIL 1, JOHN 20:1-9 or MARK 16:1-7
(Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8)
SUNDAY, APRIL 1, JOHN 20:1-9 or MARK 16:1-7
(Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8)
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 the Risen Christ, yet we know in faith that he is alive in the world and in the hearts of all who believe in him.
TO LOVE: Where will I discover the Risen Lord today?
TO SERVE: 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 great 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).
Ancient cultures, including the Romans,
celebrated New Year's Day on April 1, which closely follows the vernal equinox
(March 20th or March 21st.). In medieval times, much of Europe celebrated March
25, the Feast of Annunciation, as the beginning of the New Year. In 1582, Pope
Gregory XIII ordered a new calendar (the Gregorian calendar) to replace the old
Julian calendar. The new calendar called for New Year's Day to be celebrated
January 1. Communication being what it was in those days, many people did not
receive the news for several years. Others refused to accept the new calendar
and continued to celebrate New Year on April 1. These backward folk, labeled as
"fools," were subject to ridicule and made the butt of practical
jokes.
The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year. - Mark Twain
The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year. - Mark Twain
Sunday 1 April
2018
The incredulity of St Thomas, c. 1600-01. Sannssouci,
Bilder-galerie, Potsdam
Easter Sunday.
Acts 10:34, 37-43. Psalm 117(118):1-2, 16-17, 22-23. Colossians
3:1-4/1 Corinthians 5:6-8. John 20:1-9.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be
glad—Psalm 117(118):1-2, 16-17, 22-23.
Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of
scripture that he must rise form the dead.
On the evening of the first Easter Day, Jesus says to Thomas
‘you believe because you have seen.’ It is extraordinary, therefore, that
Caravaggio has made Thomas appear blind. He is shown putting his fingers in the
wounds of Jesus as though he were in complete darkness, groping to find
something he has mislaid. This captures Thomas’ position perfectly. He has lost
something, namely his faith. It is even more striking that Caravaggio has made
Thomas, who appears so full of vigour and daring in the story of Lazarus, now
seem so old and bent. The shoulder of his robes is torn. His hand rests on his
hip in the gesture of an elderly person who has trouble walking or even
standing up straight.
There is a lifetime’s experience in the frame of Thomas’ body.
He is not going to be easily impressed by improbable stories. Indeed,
Caravaggio has made Thomas appear more like ourselves than anything. St John’s
Gospel is pointed straight at us in all our worldliness, need for proof and
even cynicism. ‘Blessed are they who have not seen and yet still believe.’ This
figure has not seen. It seems that he can hardly walk. An Easter faith has not
yet broken on him. But it will. Please God, a new Easter faith this year will
bring us all to a deeper sense of the mystery and wonder of God. It will put a
spring in the step of even the most cautious and weary of us. It will set us
free to walk in the light.
The way Jesus uses his hand to guide the hand of Thomas is
beautiful. Jesus will guide us all to an Easter faith if we, too, let him take
us by the hand, as though we are still blind.
Saint Hugh of Grenoble
Saint of the Day for April 1
(1053 – April 1, 1132)
 |
| Saint Hugh of Grenoble in the Carthusian Refectory | Francisco de Zurbarán |
Saint Hugh of Grenoble’s Story
Today’s saint could be a patron for those of us who feel so
overwhelmed by all the problems in the world that we don’t know where to begin.
Hugh, who served as a bishop in France for 52 years, had his
work cut out for him from the start. Corruption seemed to loom in every
direction: the buying and selling of Church offices, violations of clerical
celibacy, lay control of Church property, religious indifference and/or
ignorance. After serving as bishop for two years, he’d had his fill. He tried
disappearing to a monastery, but the pope called him back to continue the work
of reform.
Ironically, Hugh was reasonably effective in the role of
reformer—surely because of his devotion to the Church but also because of his
strong character. In conflicts between Church and state he was an unflinching
defender of the Church. He fearlessly supported the papacy. He was eloquent as
a preacher. He restored his own cathedral, made civic improvements in the town,
and weathered a brief exile.
Hugh may be best known as patron and benefactor of Saint Bruno,
founder of the Carthusian Order. He died in 1132. He was canonized only
two years later.
Reflection
In the midst of our confusing life these days, let us pray for
the ability to rise above the fray and to see things in the light of faith as
did Saint Hugh.
LECTIO DIVINA: EASTER OF THE
RESURRECTION OF THE LORD (B)
Lectio Divina:
Sunday, April 1, 2018
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, inextricably linked with the first phase of this glorification,
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 asserts itself silently, in the discreet and irresistible power of the Spirit.
The state 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 asserts itself silently, in the discreet and irresistible power of the Spirit.
The state 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:
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.
c) A subdivision of the text for a
better understanding:
Verse 1: introduction and events prior
to 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 to 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 to 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 of 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 faith in Jesus Christ, even though, like them, I do not see Him with my bodily eyes.
- A slow re-reading of 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 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 (at least three) preceding
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, 9; Acts 20:7) and is older than the expression that later became characteristic of the first evangelisation: "the third day" (e.g.: Lk 24:7, 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, 9; Acts 20:7) and is older than the expression that later became characteristic of the first evangelisation: "the third day" (e.g.: Lk 24:7, 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 (cf. Mk 16:1-3; Mt 28:1; Lk
23:55-24:1).
However the synoptics (cf. Mk 16:1; Lk 24:1), do not specify the reason for her visit to the sepulchre, seeing that it implied that the rite of burial had already been carried out (19:40); perhaps, the only thing missing is the funereal lamentation (cf. 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 (cf. Mk 16:1; Lk 24:1), do not specify the reason for her visit to the sepulchre, seeing that it implied that the rite of burial had already been carried out (19:40); perhaps, the only thing missing is the funereal lamentation (cf. 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 sepulcher, 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 sepulcher, 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 (cf. 19:15, 26 - 27 ). She wants to share at least with them this
final pain of the outrage committed against His body.
We see how Peter and the "beloved disciple" and Mary Magdalene are characterized 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 Mary Magdalene are characterized 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 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 idealized.
"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 him (cf. 13:25; 21:4, 7). Where we read the simpler expression "the other disciple" or "the disciple", obviously the editors did not make the same 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 him (cf. 13:25; 21:4, 7). Where we read the simpler expression "the other disciple" or "the disciple", obviously the editors did not make the same addition.
* They have taken the Lord out of the
tomb: these words, which recur in verses
13 and 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 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 (Deut 34:10). Another
implicit reference is to the words of Jesus Himself when He says that it is
impossible to know where He is 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.
It is also possible that it shows
hesitation or fear. As their faith was under strain at this moment, there may
have been a hesitation when confronted with confirming the situation one way or
the other. Would there be something to further chip at his faith or not? It
could be a confirmation of what they had hoped, or nothing at all.
* 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 (cf. 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 (cf. Rm 6:9).
* Peter…saw…the other disciple…saw and
believed: at the beginning of the story,
Mary Magdalene 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 what 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 Magdalene 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 (cf. 20:29), because it was impossible to believe truly before the Lord had died and risen (cf. 14:25-26; 16:12-15). The double vision-faith, then, characterizes 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 (cf. also 21:7).
The anonymous disciple had certainly not seen anything other than what 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 Magdalene 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 (cf. 20:29), because it was impossible to believe truly before the Lord had died and risen (cf. 14:25-26; 16:12-15). The double vision-faith, then, characterizes 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 (cf. 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, it was difficult to
believe in Him. For them, as for us as well, the only gateway that allows us to
cross the threshold of authentic faith is knowledge of the Scriptures
(cf. Lk 24:26-27; 1Cor15:34; 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, or 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) We see three levels of growth in faith here: Mary, who sees but does not go deeper and instead asks for help to learn more, the other disciple, who is energetic and enthusiastic, yet stops short of totally being immersed in the truth, and Peter, who goes in entirely, to be fully involved in the truth within. These can represent different levels in the growth of one's faith as well. Where am I in this and who best represents my approach to being fully involved in the Lord?
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, or 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) We see three levels of growth in faith here: Mary, who sees but does not go deeper and instead asks for help to learn more, the other disciple, who is energetic and enthusiastic, yet stops short of totally being immersed in the truth, and Peter, who goes in entirely, to be fully involved in the truth within. These can represent different levels in the growth of one's faith as well. Where am I in this and who best represents my approach to being fully involved in the Lord?
6. LET US PRAY ASKING FOR
GRACE AND PRAISING GOD
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
characterizes 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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