Happy and Blessed Easter to everyone!
Happy and Blessed Easter to everyone!
Passion Reading from the Gospel of John. If we look around, we can see that Good Friday is repeated in different forms and shapes. There is so much pain, dehumanization, suffering, and death in the world. Thousands of people were wounded or died in the war zone; people were injured or killed through natural calamities-fire, flood, earthquake, etc. Many people die of starvation or other reasons. In many circumstances, the dignity of life is diminished. Violence and death have become part of our daily lives. Jesus continues to suffer in the sufferings of our brothers and sisters. We may be tempted to say it is the end of everything.
The empty tomb is the sign of Hope. On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary, James' mother, visited the tomb early in the morning (Luke 24:12), and they saw the empty tomb. The empty tomb tells us a story, a story of life. The two men in the tomb said to the women, “He is not here, but he has been raised” (24:6). He has Risen! Alleluia!! I wish you all a Blessed Easter!
It is beautiful to walk through the readings for Easter. The Old Testament readings of the Easter Vigil tell us the covenant history of salvation, beginning with creation and extending to the prophetic promises of a new covenant. The first reading from the Book of Genesis (1:1-2:2), narrates the fundamental doctrine of creation and prepares us for the renewal of Baptismal promises as a new creation. In the second reading from the book of Genesis 22:1-18), Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son. It is the high point of Abraham’s covenant relationship with God and blessing on his descendants. On Good Friday, Our Heavenly Father allows his only begotten Son to be crucified on Calvary. In the third reading from the book of Exodus, Israelites marched on the dry land through the midst of the sea (14:15-15:1). The parting of the sea is a critical Old Testament type of baptism.
The next two readings are from the book of Isaiah. In the fourth reading, the Lord will, with his enduring love, resume his covenant love for Zion, rebuild it with precious stones, and grant it righteousness and prosperity (54:5-14). This reading shapes believers' minds, especially those receiving Sacraments, about the dual reality of the Church as both Bride and Temple. The fifth reading is an invitation for a meal. The Lord’s thoughts and ways are higher, and His words will not return empty (55:1-11). This passage is associated with the Gospel of Matthew (14:13-21), the account of feeding the five thousand. Ultimately, it leads to the Eucharist. This reading prepares us to reaffirm our faith, particularly those prepared to receive the Sacrament of Eucharist for the first time. The next reading is from the book of the prophet Baruch, which talks about wisdom and law (3:9- 15, 32-4:4). It is an invitation to walk towards the splendor of the Lord and live the faith to the fullest. The seventh reading from the Book of Ezekiel talks about the restoration of Israel (36:16-17, 18-28). The Lord will gather the Israelites from exile, cleanse them by sprinkling the clean water, and give them a new heart and a new spirit so they can grow in the law of love. The Sacrament of Baptism is the new cleansing and the Holy Spirit renewing the heart to grow in the law of love.
A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We made the Way of the Cross to Calvary and visited where Jesus was crucified and buried. We celebrated Mass at the Church of Holy Sepulcher. In the Church of Sepulcher, we can see the place where Jesus was crucified, “Golgotha.” Next to it is a small church within the Church of Sepulcher, which is the empty tomb of Christ—the Church of Resurrection.
Easter Sunday Gospel reading from John (20: 1-9) starts with “On the first day of the week.” The Gospel for Easter Vigil Mass (Luke 24:1-12) starts by saying, “At daybreak on the first day of the week.” Here, Luke and John highlight the connection between Easter and Sunday. Last year, we read from the Gospel of Mark, which says that when the Sabbath was over. In other words, it was Sunday that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. In the book of Genesis, chapters one and two give us a creation account. God created everything, and finally, human beings as the crown of creation, and on the seventh day, God rested. We read in Genesis 2:3, “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.”
The first day of the week recalls the first creation. After the Sabbath, the first day of the week, Christ, through his death and Resurrection, made everything new. God didn’t just come to save us; he came to make all things new—new Creations. Let us rise with him on Easter and become his new creations. He has Risen! Alleluia!! Happy Easter!
“Congratulations” to Michael and Tobias Scharenbrock as they receive the sacraments on Easter Vigil. May the Risen Christ bless them and their families.
Thank you to everyone who helped with Holy Week liturgies: decorators, musicians, readers, greeters, servers, all those who donated the Easter Lilies and plants, all those who actively participated, and the list goes on and on. Thank you!