Easter Sunday(Cycle B, YearII)
Community Word:The resurrection of Jesus Christ strengthens our faith.
Theme: Our faith is strengthened when we testify to Christ’s resurrection.
Promise: “When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:4)
Reflection:
Christ is risen!Alleluia!
The joyful celebration of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday reminds us once again that this is a life-transforming event for all who believe in Him. Thus, the message of our theme for the week is so expressed: Our faith is strengthened when we testify to Christ’s resurrection.For Peter, John and Mary, their faith was made stronger despite the confusion and bewilderment they felt when they saw the empty tomb. It took them a while to recognize that Jesus truly fulfilled his promise to be the Risen Lord.
The Easter message tells us of the living presence of our Lord to this day. Experiencing the presence of Jesus permanently changed the disciples’ lives. Overwhelmed with love, they ceased to be fearful. They found the courage to proclaim the Easter message – the gospel of love. They passed from darkness into light, and the passage is an appropriate symbol of the Lord’s resurrection which began in sorrow but ended in victory, reviving our hope. And from this hope, we have been commissioned to proclaim the Good News and continue his ministry.
In Psalm 118, Jesus Christ is the “stone which the builders rejected (and) has become the cornerstone.”Regardless, God chose to build His new “temple” in His Son, Jesus, by his death and resurrection. Resurrection is a call to formation. Jesus, as the Risen Christ, continues to guide his disciples today, including ourselves, by leading us to a fuller understanding of our faith. Jesus forms his disciples through his word, and he continues to open our understanding, shed light to our reason, and strengthen our convictions, that we may grow strong in faith. On this greatest of all Christian feasts, let us remember that love must occupy and take first place in our lives – love of God and love of neighbor.
By Jesus’ death and resurrection, we, his followers “have been raised up in company with Christ” (Col 3:1). Therefore, we who believe in Jesus must die to sin and self-interest and rise to the new life which he gave us. Christ raised us up to rise above our human weaknesses and limitations and empowered us to conquer great heights. He raised us up to rise above our human pettiness, our fits of anger, shame, humiliations, defiance, rebellion and disobedience. As “risen people,” let us forget ourselves and live for others. This is the best preparation for eternal happiness. By loving others, we will come ever closer to God and acquire His glory, as we claim the assurance of this promise – “When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with Him in glory,”(Col 3:4).
We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ today as we rise from darkness into his marvelous light. Our Risen Lord, represented by the lighted Easter candle with warmth and light, invites us to leave behind the works of darkness and to renounce anything in our lives that is wrong and self-centered. As true Christians joined to Christ in our baptism, we must choose to follow the footsteps of Jesus and walk as “children of the light.” Let us renew our baptismal promise to reject Satan and all his evil works and turn to Christ who is Light and Truth. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit who is our Advocate, Teacher, and Guide as he promised to be with us until the end of age. For we are the Easter people, redeemed by Jesus in his death and resurrection.
A blessed Easter to all!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we give You all honor, glory and praise for giving us Your Son, Jesus, who redeemed us from sin and death. We thank You for Your great and unconditional love and for granting us forgiveness, restoring our heavenly inheritance in Jesus Christ who raised us from darkness and brought us to Your light. Today, we celebrate the gift of new life, and with stronger faith, we commit to remain Your faithful Easter children as we testify that Christ is risen and He is our Lord and Savior today and forever! Amen.
Reflection Questions:
1.In what ways have I been raised to life by Christ? Can I honestly say that I have been brought to light from my sinful and self-centered ways?
2.Is my faith strong to enable me to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to others?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
April 1, 2018 (Sun)- Acts 10:34, 37-43/Ps 118:1, 2, 16, 17, 22, 23/Col 3:1-4/Jn 20:1-9
April 2, 2018 (Mon) – Acts 2:14, 22-33/Ps 16:1, 2, 5, 7-11/Mt 28:8-15
April 3, 2018 (Tue) – Acts 2:36-41/Ps 33:4, 5, 18, 19-22/Jn 20:11-18
April 4, 2018 (Wed) – Acts 66:1-10/Ps 10:1-9/Jn 21:1-14
April 5, 2018 (Thu) – Acts 3:11-26/Ps 8:2, 5, 6, 7, 8-9/Lk 24:35-48
April 6, 2018 (Fri) – Acts 4:1-12/Ps 118:1, 2, 4, 22-24, 25-27/Jn 21:1-14
April 7, 2018 (Sat) – Acts 4:13-21/Ps 118:1, 14, 15, 16-18, 19-21/Mk 16:9-15
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
