Easter Sunday

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Easter of Resurrection


First Reading

Acts 10,34.37-43

Then Peter addressed them, 'I now really understand', he said, 'that God has no favourites, You know what happened all over Judaea, how Jesus of Nazareth began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil. Now we are witnesses to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet on the third day God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses that God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses -- we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead- and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to bear witness that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.'

Psalmody

Psalm 117

Antiphon

Eternal is the mercy of the Lord.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love endures for ever.

Let the sons of Israel say :
'His love endures for ever.'

Let the sons of Aaron say :
'His love endures for ever.'

Let those who fear the Lord say :
'His love endures for ever.'

I called the Lord in my distress;
he answered and feed me.

The Lord is at my side; I do not fear.
What can man do against m?

The Lord is at my side as my helper:
I shall look down on my foes.

It is better to take refuge in the lord
than to trust in men:

It is better to take refuge in the lord
than to trust in prices.

The nations all encompassed me;
in the lord's name I crushed them.

They compassed me, compassed me about;
in the Lord's name I crushed them.

They compassed me about like bees;
they blazed like a fire among thorns.
In the Lord's name I crushed them.

I was thrust down, thrust down and falling
but the Lord was my helper.

The Lord is my strength and my song;
he was my saviour.

There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the just.

The Lord's right hand has triumphed;
his right hand raised me.

The Lord's right hand had triumphed;
I shall not die, I shall live
and recount his deed.

I was punished, I was punished by the Lord,
but not doomed to die.

Open to me the gates of holiness :
I will enter and give thanks.

This is the Lord's own gates
where the just may enter.

I will thank you for you have answered
and you are my saviour.

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.

This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.

This day was made by the Lord;
we rejoice and are glad.

O Lord, grant us salvation;
O Lord, grant success.

Blessed in the name of the Lord
is he who comes

We bless you from the house of the Lord;
the Lord God is our light.

Go forward in procession with branches
even to the altar.

You are my God, I thank you.
My God, I praise you.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good;
for his love endures forever.

Second Reading

Colossians 3,1-4

Since you have been raised up to be with Christ, you must look for the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God's right hand. Let your thoughts be on things above, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed -- and he is your life-you, too, will be revealed with him in glory.

Reading of the Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Christ is risen from the dead
and will die no more.
He awaits us in Galilee!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

John 20,1-9

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. 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.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Christ is risen from the dead
and will die no more.
He awaits us in Galilee!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Homily

The Gospel of Easter begins with a woman, Mary of Magdala, who goes to the tomb early in the morning, when it was still dark-above all, dark in her own heart. Every death is a heavy stone and as soon as she reached the tomb she saw that it had been moved. She runs immediately to Peter and John: "They took the Lord from the tomb!" Her pain is because the Lord is gone, even if it is just his body. Her pain is a slap in the face to our coldness and neglect towards Jesus even when he is alive. Today this woman teaches us that only with feelings like hers can we meet the Risen Jesus.
Her desperation moves Peter and the other disciple to hurry toward the tomb. After having begun to follow the Lord together, albeit at a distance through the Passion (Jn 18:15-16), now they are running together to reach him. It is a race which aptly expresses the anxiety which every disciple and every community should have in seeking the Lord. Even we should start again to run -because we have become slow, maybe weighted down by love for ourselves and the fear losing something which belongs to us. We need to try again to run, to leave the upper room and go towards the Lord. The first one who arrived at the tomb was the disciple that Jesus loved: indeed, love makes us run faster. But even the slower pace of Peter brings him to the threshold and the two of them enter. Peter enters first and sees a perfect order: the cloths lying there and the shroud was rolled up to the side. There had not been tampering or body snatching. It was as if Jesus had freed himself. The other disciple also enters and sees the same scene: he sees and believes, as the Gospel notes. They saw signs of the resurrection and let their hearts be touched.
The evangelist continues, "for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead." Without understanding Easter we are resigned before evil. Easter has come and the stone has been turned and the tomb is empty. The Lord has won over death and he lives forever. The resurrected Jesus places into our hearts the power of the Spirit which renews. The apostle writes: "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col 3:3). Our lives are connected to the Risen Jesus and we participate in the victory over death and evil. Together with the Risen One we enter the world and take away the heavy stones which crush the lives of so many. And the Risen One will involve men and women and all of creation in his mystery of resurrection. From Easter begins that new world and new heavens where there is no more grieving or crying, nor death nor sadness because God will be everything in everyone.