Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord by Cardinal - TopicsExpress

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord by Cardinal Tagle “Faith in the resurrection of Jesus says that there is a future for every human being; the cry for unending life which is a part of the person is indeed answered. Through Jesus we do know ‘the room where exiled love lays down its victory.’ He himself is this place, and he calls us to be with him and in dependence on him. He calls us to keep this place open within the world so that he, the exiled love, may reappear over and over in the world…. God exists: that is the real message of Easter. Anyone who even begins to grasp what this means also knows what it means to be redeemed” (Pope Benedict XVI). To watch the video on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord by Cardinal Chito Tagle, please click this link: 1st Reading: Acts 10:34,37-43 – We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead: youtube/watch?v=tMosc69LNH4 2nd Reading: Col 3:1-4 – Seek what is above, where Christ is: youtube/watch?v=M6lokIFnOzI Gospel: Jn 20:1-9 – He had to rise from the dead: youtube/watch?v=ICu5uyFaK3A Fire, Water and Bread! Jn 20:1-9 A woman told her doctor that her body hurt wherever she touched it. “That’s weird!” says the doctor. “Let me see.” The lady took her finger, pushed on her left shoulder and screamed. Then she pushed her elbow and shouted in pain. And again she pushed her knee with her finger and cried; likewise she pushed her foot and screamed. Everywhere she touched made her shout in pain. The doctor examined her. Afterwards, he smiled and said, “Nothing is wrong with your body. It’s just that your finger is broken.” Mary Magdalene was hurting all over. She has experienced the healing and liberating love of Jesus; she discovered the joy and meaning of life. And now, everything is gone. Her Master is buried in the tomb. Early in the morning on the first day of the week, she went to the tomb expecting to see a dead body. And she was all the more devastated to discover that the tomb was empty. She thought: someone took the body of the Lord away! Her sorrow was turned to resentment and indignation. Even the dead body is gone! Now she is left with nothing. But something happened in an instant. When she bent over into the tomb, she saw two angels. And when she turned around, she saw Jesus standing there. All of a sudden, everything changed. Jesus was not dead after all. He is alive! That explains the empty tomb. He cannot be subject to corruption. The tomb has no power to hold him. With finality, he has conquered sin and death. For, indeed, he is true God. He is our true Savior. And so we say, “Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of the world.” Today, on this first day of the week, the Day of the Lord, let us be united with the entire Christian world in this joyful celebration. Jesus is alive! His victory is our victory. His glory is our glory! But what does his resurrection mean for us today? What is the meaning and significance of our celebration and rejoicing? Let me point out three elements in the Liturgy of Easter. Last night, during the Easter Vigil, we started with the blessing of fire and the lighting of the Paschal Candle. The church was dark. The Paschal Candle, representing Christ as the Light of the world, was brought in, and as each one lighted their candles, the darkness gradually vanished, and the church was filled with warm and radiant light. That is the clear message of the resurrection of the Lord. Darkness is never final. In those times when we experience seeming defeat and deep sorrow like Mary Magdalene, our faith reminds us that there is always hope for a new tomorrow, because the dawn of salvation, Jesus, is with us. We have a living and victorious God, and He works in mysterious ways. He can write straight with crooked lines, we say. There is a story about a blind man. He sat on the sidewalk every day, asking for alms. His sign reads: “Help me. I am blind.” People passing by vaguely noticed him. Then one day, a Good Samaritan took pity on him, and did something with his sign. It caught the people’s attention, and donations came flowing in. It was because the sign now reads: “It’s a beautiful day! And I can’t see it!” Even the blind man knows there is light out there. Resurrection means light overcoming darkness. This realization should change our outlook in life. This is what St. Paul told the Colossians in the first reading: “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” (Col. 3:1-2). The next part of the liturgy was the blessing of water and the celebration of the sacrament of baptism. Not only was the darkness driven away, but also our sins are washed away by the living waters of baptism. The resurrection of Jesus reminds us of the new life we received in baptism. That is why, during this Easter Mass, we renew our baptismal promises and holy water is sprinkled upon us as reminder of our baptism that gave us new life. We ought, therefore, to ask ourselves: how is my life now as a Christian? Have I been faithful to my promises in baptism? Three priests were discussing about the problem of bats in their churches. These nocturnal creatures love to hide and sleep in the ceiling of the church, and they make the church smelly and dirty. One priest said, “I tried shooting them down with my air gun. But they are just too many.” Another said, “I used fumigation. But the smoke just cannot make them leave.” The third one said, “My tactic was effective. I sprinkled holy water on them. I baptized them. Now they are Catholics. They have not come back since then.” Sadly, this is what has happened to a lot of Catholics. On Sundays, they are everywhere, except in the church! There is a need, therefore, for constant renewal in our Christian life. During the Holy Week, many of us have experienced peace and inner joy as we received God’s forgiveness and mercy in Confession. But going to Confession should not just be an annual affair. We are called to commit ourselves continually to a new life of grace. Resurrection means new life – now and for always! Third, the liturgy reached its fitting climax in the celebration of the Eucharist. Being reborn in the waters of baptism is not enough. Something has to sustain us in the life of faith. And that is the Eucharist. Jesus is telling us: “If you want to have life in me; if you want to attain divine life, then come and eat me.” This is what I call “reverse metabolism.” When we eat food, our digestive system breaks down the food particles, and they become part of our body. That is regular metabolism. But in the Eucharist, “reverse metabolism” happens. When we receive Holy Communion, we do not have the power to transform the Body of Christ. Instead, we are the ones being transformed by the Eucharist that we receive. We become like Jesus, for we are made to share in his divine life. And Jesus made that promise: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (Jn 6:55). The Eucharist assures our resurrection. This is why Pope St. Pius X said: “Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven.” On this first day of the week, let our hearts jump for joy. Jesus is risen, and this means a lot for us. In the darkness of sorrow and pain, we have light. In our struggle against sins and human frailty, we are cleansed, strengthened and renewed. And in the face of death, we have the assurance of resurrection and eternal life. Happy Easter to all! Fr. Mike Lagrimas Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Palmera Springs 3, Susano Road Camarin, Novaliches, Caloocan City 1422 To read on the Meaning of Easter by Fr. Robert Barron and more reflections, please click this link: pagadiandiocese.org/?p=255