Today's Gospel - April 8, 2012 Easter Sunday with Reflection

EASTER SUNDAY - He is Risen!

1ST READING - Acts 10:34, 37-43 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. 23 By 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) GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed; let us then feast with joy in the Lord. John 20:1-9 (or Luke 24:13-35) 1 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead. 1st READING 2nd READING LIST

SABBATH

JESUS IS RISEN “Jesus is Risen!” is the cry of an Easter people. There is nothing more important to us than this. If Jesus has not risen from the dead, then the Gospel is emptied of its power and our lives of discipleship are meaningless in the equation of eternal life. We may be good people, but good is not enough to merit eternal life. Only the offer of salvation from Jesus, through His death and resurrection, can merit us eternal life. It is important for us to deepen our appreciation of this truth. The more we believe it, the more we will be able to pay the price of discipleship. Jesus is not interested in lip service. This is why He came in person to redeem us. He came to reveal to us the true nature of love — the demands love makes and the consequences of these demands — for those who wish to be numbered among the saints of God. For 2,000 years, God has worked with a people who, while at times very pliant to His will and love, more often than not demonstrated a remarkable ability to reject God’s offer of love and set out according to their own wisdom. We all have to learn to submit our wills to that of God if we want the best for our lives. Nothing and no one can force us to do this, but there are consequences if we choose not to obey God’s will. One of these consequences will be the failure to enter into eternal life. Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, which God wants us all to experience. If we truly open our hearts to the fullness of the promise of Jesus’ resurrection, it will be virtually impossible for us not to accept the gift He offers and so enter into a life of discipleship. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Is your heart open to the truth and power of the resurrection? How willing are you to follow God’s will for your life? Jesus, You have revealed the Father’s love to us in unequivocal fashion. Help me to surrender my life to You and follow wherever You lead me. St. Julie Billiart, pray for us. Do you want to receive this in your email?  To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await.