COLLECT: “O GOD, WHO ON THIS DAY, THROUGH YOUR ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, HAVE CONQUERED DEATH AND UNLOCKED FOR US THE PATH TO ETERNITY, GRANT, WE PRAY, THAT WE WHO KEEP THE SOLEMNITY OF THE LORD’S RESURRECTION MAY, THROUGH THE RENEWAL BROUGHT BY YOUR SPIRIT, RAISE IN THE LIGHT OF LIFE. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Ps 117:1-2,16-17,22-23; Col 3:1-4 or 1Cor 5:6b-8; Jn 20:1-9 or Mt 28:1-10.
“LORD, LET ME ACTIVELY LIVE THE LIFE OF YOUR RESURRECTION”.
Easter, the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is our greatest feast. It is so because, Jesus’ resurrection from the grave is our (Christians’) belief as it gives meaning to our belief, faith, hope and courage. This should give us every reason to testify to the resurrection.
Our redemption and salvation come to meet us; we commemorate it every year, and today we are doing the same, always preceded by 40 days and nights of preparation known as the Lenten Season. What is next after we have experienced this great event of our redemption and salvation? What are the implications of this great experience of the resurrection that gives meaning to our belief, hope and courage?
St. Paul has said it all in his letter to the Colossians (Col 3:1-4). At the resurrection (Easter) we have been raised to new life in Christ and so, new as we are, we have to set our hearts on realities and things that pertain to higher realms (heaven) where Jesus Christ is seated at God’s right hand. We should think about things of heaven, not things of earth, for we are in this world but not for this world, and we do not belong to this world, for one day we will go and leave it.
Experience tells us that this world is a passing one: it is temporary but not permanent. We have come to meet this world and will go and leave it. People came and met it and they are gone. They are no longer here with us.
40 DAYS OF LENTEN SEASON POST-MORTEM:
Since we started preparations for this joyful celebration, we pledged and committed ourselves to doing or not doing certain things, living or not living a certain life. We have finally come to the end. Have we actually kept to that? Some areas worth mentioning are:
- To be more eagerly intent on prayer. Have we done and been doing that?
- To be more eagerly intent on works of charity/Almsgiving/helping the poor and the needy/contribution to the feeding of the poor and the needy. This is not only about identifying poor and needy people and helping them, but also contributing to and supporting the things of God, like giving good collections and offertory gifts. Have I done or been doing that?
- To help imitate the Lord in his kindness. Have I done or been doing that?
- Participating in the mysteries by way of which I was born as a Christian, that is, keeping my baptismal promises. Have you been keeping them?
- To humble our sinful pride. Have I done or been doing that?
- To be bold and without fear, witness to the Resurrected Lord, even when I know I will suffer for that. Have we done or been doing that?
- Not to destroy anyone by: backbiting, backstabbing, deformation of character, telling lies about others, etc. Have I done or been doing that?
- Cheating on others, either materially or by cheating on the person. Have I done or been doing that?
- Keeping the Ten Commandments and the other Commandments of the Church. Have I been doing that?
- We could go on and on, but suffice it. Please, add the rest you know and work on that for your salvation.
Today, as we celebrate the resurrection, we have to renew our loyalty to Christ and resolve to courageously and without fear, be his witnesses at all levels. We pray that the FEAR of hardships, distress, persecution, lack of food and clothing, threats of violence, neglect and hatred should not deter or prevent us from being Christ’s true and genuine witnesses (Cf. Rom 8:35-36), for after all, what will one gain if one works tooth and nail to save one’s life in this world but lose it in the hear after?
Let us learn from Peter and Mary Magdalene who, because of fear and worldly (bodily) pleasure could not initially set their hearts on heavenly things. But when they got a second chance, got renewed, and found, as well as experienced new life in Christ, “their faith became as ‘the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth’”, enabling them to courageously and fearlessly witness to the resurrection of Christ.
After the Season of Lent, we are renewed, found and experience the new life of Christ at Easter. We pray to live this new life of Christ “not with the old yeast (old and sinful self/life), the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (Cf. 1Cor 5:8). Stay blessed and Happy Easter.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, SUNDAY, ON THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES: ‘THE RESURRECTION, THE ASCENSION, THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE ASSUMPTION, AND THE CORONATION’. (WE PRAY FOR FAITH, HOPE, LOVE OF GOD, GRACE OF A HAPPY DEATH AND TRUST IN MARY’S INTERCESSION) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “LOOK UPON YOUR CHURCH, O GOD, WITH UNFAILING LOVE AND FAVOUR, SO THAT, RENEWED BY THE PASCHAL MYSTERIES, SHE MAY COME TO THE GLORY OF THE RESURRECTION. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com
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