EASTER SUNDAY
34 Peter proceeded to speak and said: 37“You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. 40 This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible,41 not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
P S A L M - Psalm 118: 1-2, 16-17, 22-23
R: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 16 “The right hand of the Lord has struck with power; the right hand of the Lord is exalted.” 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.(R) 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. (R)
2ND READING - Colossians 3:1-4 (or 1 Corinthians 5:6-8)
1 Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with Him in glory.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Christ, our Paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed; let us then feast with joy in the Lord.
John 20:1-9 (or Matthew 28:1-10)
1 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8Then 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.
SABBATH
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LIVING THE RESURRECTION
It is not enough just to receive the many blessings that God offers us through Christ’s death and resurrection. Part of receiving the graces with gratitude is to fully live the Gospel. In this way, we all become ambassadors for Christ, as Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians 5. Is there any greater news totell someone than that his sins have been forgiven and that he is destined for eternal life? I think not! But then, here’s a question that comes to my mind: “Why do we seem to be so reluctant to share this incredibly Good News with others?” Do we assume that they already know it? Maybe in some cases, but I am equally certain that there are at least as many people who are lacking in their faith response, and yet we do nothing about it. We do not have to become the immediate means of salvation for everyone we know — that is God’s job. But what I am saying is that we need to be on the lookout for opportunities, whenever possible, to share how the grace of God has transformed our lives. Having received the grace of God freely, we have the responsibility to share it with others. This is both a duty and a privilege. As we reflect on the resurrection of Christ, let us pray for the grace to be more aware of opportunities to share the Good News as they arise. Let us not be hesitant in sharing the Gospel with others. Paul tells us that he is never ashamed of the Gospel because he knows and has experienced the truth of the Gospel’s power to save (Romans 1:16-17). Experience is a part of our faith; if we have not experienced the saving grace of God at work in our lives, then we should ask, nay beg, God to give them to us as soon as possible. It is our experiences that we can share with others. They become the content of our proclamation of the Gospel. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What is your experience of the saving work and grace of God in your life? Should you pray to God for a deepening of your experiences of Him? Lord Jesus, thank You for the saving work of Your grace in my life. Help me to receive it with joy and to be affirmed in God’s love and mercy for me. Help me to share this with others. St. Stephen of Mar Saba, pray for us. Easter Sunday |
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