The Resurrection of the Lord
The Mass of Easter Day
Lectionary: 42
9 APRIL 2023 A.D.


Reading 1
Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Peter proceeded to speak and said:
“You know what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
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.
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.
This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible,
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.
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.
To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in him
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.”
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.



Reading 2
Col 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters:
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.


Sequence - Victimæ paschali laudes

Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.


Alleluia
1 Cor 5:7

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed;
let us then feast with joy in the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel
Jn 20:1-9

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.
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.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.

Overview of the Gospel:

• On the third day after Jesus’ death on the cross Mary Magdalene, accompanied by some other
women (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 23:55—24:1), come to the tomb fully expecting to find
Jesus’ body. Imagine her reaction when she finds the heavy stone rolled back and the body
gone! Her first thought was to run to tell Peter, the leader of the remaining apostles.

• Although Peter at first doubted her story (Luke 24:11), he and “the other apostle” (by tradition,
John), also run to the tomb. They find the burial cloths in such a state that made it clear that
the body had not been stolen (verses 6-7). At this point, they still could not grasp that Jesus
had risen, as he predicted he would. Later, however, they would have no doubt.

• That Jesus rose from the dead is the most well-attested miracle in Scripture. The Old
Testament foretold it; Jesus predicted it on more than one occasion; it was confirmed by his
several appearances (John 20:19—21:1; Acts 1:3; Luke 24:13-35; 1 Corinthian 15:3-8). It was
even verified by the Roman soldiers guarding his tomb ((Matthew 28:11-15)! Let us rejoice
today that Jesus has defeated sin and death—Alleluia! He is risen indeed!
[special thanks to Vince Contreras: "Sunday Scripture Study for Catholics"]


"It is no great thing to believe that Christ died; for this is something that is also believed by pagans and Jews and even by all the wicked: everyone believes that He died. The Christians' faith is in Christ's Resurrection; that is what we hold to be a great thing--to believe that He rose."  ~St Augustine

Happy Easter! This is beautiful as usual! God bless your This Holy week

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.

He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Thank you dear Sister, angelfire and Brother, monadh!

HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!

HE
IS
RISEN!

Sunday Morning Came -- Ven. Fulton J. Sheen

Thanks!

I love that quote from St. Augustine, thanks for sharing.

I also love in today's gospel John how he incorporates a humble brag over Peter, that both disciples ran, but the other arrived at the tomb first. Apparently St. John was more fleet of foot than St. Peter.

You're welcome, powderhound!

You're right! St. John, "fleet of foot," beat out old St. Peter running to the tomb! John is definitely in the lead!

Great observation!

...but, notice: in deference to Peter, once they both got there, John held off going into the tomb until Peter was present!

Peter's 'primacy?' deference to Peter as an "old-timer" with wisdom and experience? or did Peter just have "more seniority in the group?"