Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the
Lord
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.
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
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.
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.
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 12, JOHN 20:1-9 OR MATTHEW 28:1-10, OR, AT AFTERNOON OR EVENING MASS, LUKE 24:13-35
(Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8)
SUNDAY, APRIL 12, JOHN 20:1-9 OR MATTHEW 28:1-10, OR, AT AFTERNOON OR EVENING MASS, LUKE 24:13-35
(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).
Sunday 12 April 2020
Easter Sunday
Acts 10:34, 37-43. This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad – Psalm 117(118):1-2, 16-17, 22-23.
Colossians 3:1-4. John 20:1-9.
He must rise from the dead
How do we see the empty tomb? Jesus is not there, where we
expected Him to be; we still keep a certain idea of Him, contained, dead. Stuck
in the angst of abandonment, and disappointment that follows His death, we,
like Mary Magdalene in John’s resurrection account, think that something more
cruel and twisted must have happened, His body has been stolen. This is the way
of the world we know. The resurrection is beyond the bounds of our conception,
and outside of the world we know. We stay in the tomb watching the shadows on
the wall created by the bright light outside. All we need to do is turn around,
and step out of the place of darkness where we thought Christ would be. Step
out into the light of the resurrection and realise our salvation.
Saint Teresa of Los Andes
Saint of the Day for April 12
(July 13, 1900 – April 12, 1920)
 |
| Prayer wall at the Santuario de Saint Teresa de los Andes | photo by Malissette |
Saint Teresa of Los Andes’ Story
One needn’t live a long life to leave a deep imprint. Teresa of
Los Andes is proof of that.
As a young girl growing up in the early 1900’s in Santiago,
Chile, Juana Fernandez read an autobiography of a French-born saint—Thérèse,
popularly known as the Little Flower. The experience deepened her desire to
serve God and clarified the path she would follow. At age 19 Juana became a
Carmelite nun, taking the name of Teresa.
The convent offered the simple lifestyle Teresa desired and the
joy of living in a community of women completely devoted to God. She focused
her days on prayer and sacrifice. “I am God’s,” she wrote in her diary. “He
created me and is my beginning and my end.”
Toward the end of her short life, Teresa began an apostolate of
letter-writing, sharing her thoughts on the spiritual life with many people. At
age 20 she contracted typhus and quickly took her final vows. She died a short
time later, during Holy Week.
Known as the “Flower of the Andes,” Teresa remains popular with
the estimated 100,000 pilgrims who visit her shrine in Los Andes each year.
Canonized in 1993 by Pope John Paul II, she is Chile’s first saint.
Reflection
The special graces given Saint Teresa reflect the
mysterious wisdom of God at work in individuals whether young or old. It
appears God has his own logic when it comes to who gets what in the realm of
grace. All we can say is; “Praised be the Lord.”
Lectio
Divina: The Resurrection of the Lord (A)
Lectio Divina
Sunday, April 12, 2020
Jesus’ resurrection
He is living among us
John 20: 1-9
He is living among us
John 20: 1-9
1. Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures
with the same mind that You read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In
the light of the Word, written in the Bible, You helped them to discover the
presence of God in the disturbing events of Your sentence and death. Thus, the
cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life
and of resurrection.
Create silence in us so that we may listen to Your voice in
Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor
and suffering. May Your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples on
the way to Emmaus, may experience the force of Your resurrection and witness to
others that You are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and
peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed the Father to us
and sent us Your Spirit. Amen.
2. Reading
a) A key to guide the reading:
Let us read the text where the evangelist seeks to tell the
readers the meaning of faith in the resurrection. He seeks to do this by means
of the visit of the two disciples to the empty tomb and the appearance of Jesus
to Mary Magdalene. While reading, let us pay attention to the details of the
story as told in the Gospel of John who presents a very deep symbolic
dimension.
b) A division of the text to assist a careful reading:
Jn 20:1-3: the disturbing experience of the empty tomb
Jn 20:4-10: Peter and the beloved disciple run to the sepulcher: the beloved disciple saw and believed
Jn 20:11-18: Jesus shows Himself first to Mary Magdalene and gives her a command.
Jn 20:4-10: Peter and the beloved disciple run to the sepulcher: the beloved disciple saw and believed
Jn 20:11-18: Jesus shows Himself first to Mary Magdalene and gives her a command.
c) The text:
1-3: It was very early on the first day of the week and still
dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been
moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other
disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,'
she said, 'and we don't know where they have put Him.' So Peter set out with
the other disciple to go to the tomb.
4-10: They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter, following him, also came up, went into the tomb, saw the linen cloths lying on the ground and also the cloth that had been over His head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had still not understood the scripture, that He must rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.
4-10: They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter, following him, also came up, went into the tomb, saw the linen cloths lying on the ground and also the cloth that had been over His head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had still not understood the scripture, that He must rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.
11-18: But Mary was standing outside near the tomb, weeping.
Then, as she wept, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white
sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the
feet. They said, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' 'They have taken my Lord away,'
she replied, 'and I don't know where they have put Him.' As she said this she
turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not realize that it
was Jesus. Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking
for?' Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have taken Him
away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will go and remove Him.' Jesus
said, 'Mary!' She turned round then and said to Him in Hebrew, 'Rabbuni!' --
which means Master. Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to Me, because I have not
yet ascended to the Father. But go to the brothers, and tell them: I am
ascending to My Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' So Mary of
Magdala told the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord,' and that He had said these
things to her.
3. A moment of prayerful silence
so that the Word of God may enter into us and enlighten our
life.
4. Some questions
to help us in our personal reflection.
a) What struck you in this text that describes the first
experience of the resurrection?
b) The beloved disciple went in, saw and believed. What did he see and what led him to believe? Why is it that the text tells us only the reaction of the beloved disciple and not that of Peter?
c) What changes take place in Mary Magdalene during the dialogue? How did this change happen?
d) What mission or command does Jesus give Mary Magdalene?
e) Mary Magdalene was seeking Jesus in one way and meets Him in another. How does this occur in our lives?
f) To see and believe. The beloved disciple saw and believed. What is it that leads me to believe that Jesus is alive, that He is present in our midst, today, giving new life to the poor?
g) Have you gone through an experience of loss or death? What gave you new life or new hope and the joy of life? What is it that I say when I affirm, "I believe in the resurrection"?
b) The beloved disciple went in, saw and believed. What did he see and what led him to believe? Why is it that the text tells us only the reaction of the beloved disciple and not that of Peter?
c) What changes take place in Mary Magdalene during the dialogue? How did this change happen?
d) What mission or command does Jesus give Mary Magdalene?
e) Mary Magdalene was seeking Jesus in one way and meets Him in another. How does this occur in our lives?
f) To see and believe. The beloved disciple saw and believed. What is it that leads me to believe that Jesus is alive, that He is present in our midst, today, giving new life to the poor?
g) Have you gone through an experience of loss or death? What gave you new life or new hope and the joy of life? What is it that I say when I affirm, "I believe in the resurrection"?
5. A key to the reading
for those who wish to go deeper into the text.
a) In John’s Gospel, faith in the resurrection is encountered in
the description of the passion and death of Jesus:
* In describing the passion and death of Jesus, John’s Gospel
wants to point out not the sentence passed on a political subversive, but the
hour for glorifying the Son of God. During the whole process that carries Jesus
to His death, He is master of what happens to Himself and to His adversaries.
For John, the cross is synonymous with "lifting", rising on high, to
be with the Father (Jn 3:14; 8:28; 12:32-34). It is the beginning of the
resurrection that is revealed fully on the first day of the week (Jn 20:1).
That is why in John’s Gospel there is no agony in the garden (Jn 18:1-2). When
Jesus is in prison, the soldiers are frightened when Jesus says, "I am
He!" (Jn 18:6). When Jesus is dying, He does not cry out as in the other
Gospels. Serenely He takes leave of His friends, of His mother, and then
expires (Jn 19:28-30).
* The story of the passion is another more concrete example of
the fact that John does not simply relate historical facts, but puts them
through an X-Ray. He tries to show what the facts hide. When Pilate, Hanna, the
Jewish and Roman authorities try to end Jesus’ life, in truth they were
allowing Jesus to be elevated towards God. From His prison, Jesus directs events
and gives His life. "I lay down My life of My own free will, and as it is
in My power to lay it down, so it is in My power to take it up again. No one
takes it from Me. I lay it down of My own free will" (Jn 10:17-18). All
can set their minds at rest and be full of hope because Jesus has overcome and
has been glorified by the Father (Jn 17:5).
b) Peter and the beloved disciple go the empty tomb (vv. 1-10):
* The experience of the resurrection of the early community was
a long process, an experience that grew slowly like the growth of a strong
tree. At first, many did not believe in the witness of those who had
experienced the living presence of Jesus (Mt 28:17; Mk 16:11, 13, 14; Lk 24:11,
36, 41; Jn 20:25). But the experience of the resurrection expressed in the form
of appearances was so strong, so deep and so convincing that it succeeded in
overcoming human unbelief confronted with the possibility of the victory of
life over death.
* The women were more faithful than the men. They were the first
to believe in the Good News of the resurrection (Mt 28:9-10; Lk 24:4-11; Jn
20:11-18). Faced with the news of Mary Magdalene, who sees the empty tomb,
Peter and the beloved disciple run to the tomb. The Gospel relates the strange
news according to which "the other disciple" ran faster than Peter
and arrived first at the tomb, but did not go in. He looked inside and saw the
bandages on the ground. After he went in he saw also the folded shroud to one
side. The Gospel then says, "He saw and believed!" But nothing is said
of Peter’s reaction although it was he who had gone first into the empty tomb.
At the end, the Gospel adds, "Till this moment they had failed to
understand the teaching of scripture, that He must rise from the dead" (Jn
20:9). This means that the Old Testament on its own does not communicate a
complete understanding of what it contains. The light for understanding the
real meaning of the Old Testament appears at the very moment when the beloved
disciple "saw and believed". His experience of the resurrection was
like a light that struck the eyes of the disciples and revealed to them the
complete and full meaning of the Old Testament. It is this light to the sight
that liberates the words of the Old Testament.
* A comparison to understand the change. In a circle of friends,
someone showed a photo where there was a man with a harsh face, with the finger
raised, almost assaulting the public. All thought that he was an inflexible
person, unpleasant, who distanced himself from others. At that moment, a boy arrived
and said, "This is my father!" The others looked at him and said,
"A harsh father, then!’ The boy replied, "No, no, no! He is very
loving. My father is a lawyer. That photo was taken in court when he was
denouncing the crime of a landowner who wanted to dispossess a poor family of
some unused land that they owned for a long time! My father won the case. The
poor family was not deprived of its land!" All looked at the photo again
and said, "What a beautiful photo!" Almost by miracle, a light was
shed on the photo and it assumed a new look. That harsh face became bathed in
great tenderness! The words of the son changed everything, while changing
nothing! The words and actions of Jesus, born of His experience as son,
received and raised by the Father, without changing one letter or comma,
changed the whole meaning of the Old Testament (Mt 5:17-18). The same God, who
seemed so distant and harsh, took on the traits of a good Father, full of
tenderness!
c) Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene:
* Mary Magdalene was one of the few who had the courage to stay
with Jesus until the time of His death on the cross. She goes back to the tomb
to be where she had been with the Beloved for the last time. She looks for
Jesus with whom she had lived for the last three years. The disciples from
Emmaus will see Jesus, but will not recognize him (Lk 24:15-16). The same thing
happens to Mary Magdalene. She sees Jesus, but does not recognize Him. She
thinks He is the gardener. But she is looking for the Jesus of the past, the
same as He was three days previously. The image of Jesus as He was stops her
from recognizing the living Jesus, present before her.
* Jesus pronounces the name "Mary!" This was the
signal for her to recognize Him: the same voice, the same manner of saying the
name. She replies, "Master!" Jesus has come back, and it was the same
Jesus who had died on the cross. Her first impression is that death was just a
painful incident along the way, and that now all was back as it was before.
Mary embraces Jesus strongly. It was the same Jesus she knew.
* In fact, it is the same Jesus, but the manner of being with
her is not the same. Jesus says to her, "Do not cling to Me, because I
have not yet ascended to the Father!" He will go to the Father. Mary
Magdalene must leave Jesus and take on her mission: to announce to the brothers
that Jesus has ascended to the Father. Jesus opened the way for us and brought
God close to us again.
* The way the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene is described
makes us realize the stages of the journey she has to go through, from the
painful search to the new encounter of Easter. These too are the stages we all
have to go through in our lives, the search for God by living the Gospel.
6. Psalm 27 (26)
God is my victory
Yahweh is my light and my salvation,
whom should I fear?
Yahweh is the fortress of my life,
whom should I dread?
When the wicked advance against me
to eat me up,
they, my opponents, my enemies,
are the ones who stumble and fall.
Though an army pitch camp against me,
my heart will not fear,
though war break out against me,
my trust will never be shaken.
One thing I ask of Yahweh,
one thing I seek:
to dwell in Yahweh's house
all the days of my life,
to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh,
to seek out His temple.
For He hides me away under His roof
on the day of evil,
He folds me in the recesses of His tent,
sets me high on a rock.
Now my head is held high
above the enemies who surround me;
in His tent I will offer sacrifices of acclaim.
I will sing. I will make music for Yahweh.
Yahweh, hear my voice as I cry,
pity me, answer me!
Of you my heart has said, 'Seek His face!'
Your face, Yahweh, I seek;
do not turn away from me.
Do not thrust aside Your servant in anger,
without You I am helpless.
Never leave me, never forsake me,
God, my Savior.
Though my father and mother forsake me,
Yahweh will gather me up.
Yahweh, teach me Your way,
lead me on the path of integrity
because of my enemies;
do not abandon me to the will of my foes
-- false witnesses have risen against me,
and are breathing out violence.
This I believe: I shall see the goodness of Yahweh,
in the land of the living.
Put your hope in Yahweh, be strong,
let your heart be bold, put your hope in Yahweh.
whom should I fear?
Yahweh is the fortress of my life,
whom should I dread?
When the wicked advance against me
to eat me up,
they, my opponents, my enemies,
are the ones who stumble and fall.
Though an army pitch camp against me,
my heart will not fear,
though war break out against me,
my trust will never be shaken.
One thing I ask of Yahweh,
one thing I seek:
to dwell in Yahweh's house
all the days of my life,
to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh,
to seek out His temple.
For He hides me away under His roof
on the day of evil,
He folds me in the recesses of His tent,
sets me high on a rock.
Now my head is held high
above the enemies who surround me;
in His tent I will offer sacrifices of acclaim.
I will sing. I will make music for Yahweh.
Yahweh, hear my voice as I cry,
pity me, answer me!
Of you my heart has said, 'Seek His face!'
Your face, Yahweh, I seek;
do not turn away from me.
Do not thrust aside Your servant in anger,
without You I am helpless.
Never leave me, never forsake me,
God, my Savior.
Though my father and mother forsake me,
Yahweh will gather me up.
Yahweh, teach me Your way,
lead me on the path of integrity
because of my enemies;
do not abandon me to the will of my foes
-- false witnesses have risen against me,
and are breathing out violence.
This I believe: I shall see the goodness of Yahweh,
in the land of the living.
Put your hope in Yahweh, be strong,
let your heart be bold, put your hope in Yahweh.
7. Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank You for the word that has enabled us to
understand better the will of the Father. May Your Spirit enlighten our actions
and grant us the strength to practice what Your Word has revealed to us. May
we, like Mary, Your mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word, You
who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and
ever. Amen.
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