Pastoral Messages
He is Risen!
We made it! We are here at Easter, the Paschal Festivities! We have come to the end of Lent – meaning both arriving at the close of Lent and arriving at the purpose of Lent. Today is THE feast of our Salvation and of our Lord. We are a resurrection people!
I am fascinated by the reality that Jesus does not appear in our Gospel readings today. The woman (or women, depending on which Gospel) arrive wanting to lovingly complete the funeral rites for Jesus and they find the tomb open and empty.
He is Risen! He is Risen, indeed!
Here we are, a resurrection people – a resurrected people – joyfully coming with the women to the empty tomb once again. This Sunday is filled with wonder and awe, with purpose and potential. This is the day of our re-creation. This is the day of all of God’s promises coming together and being realized, being made real.
These are the feasts of the Paschal Mystery when Jesus Christ defeated death, saved us from sin, and pledges to us Eternal Life with Him. This is the Passover of our Lord! By God’s grace we pass over death with Him!
Today is the source of all our joy, the reason why our hearts are not troubled even when life can be so terribly troubling. Today is the celebration of the absolute and infinite love of our God who gave us his only Son, who raises his Son to new life, and who, in that same love and power, raises us to new life and makes of us new people.
Today we celebrate with great rejoicing the new life into which we journey – with God and Jesus within us and beside us.
This is the “end” of Lent, the purpose of all we have put into our journey of Lent. We have been saved. The human race has been redeemed. The universe has been recreated. All things are being made new.
Rejoice and be glad! He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
Peace,
~Fr. Tim
Scripture
An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - March 31, 2024
Easter Sunday - The Resurrection of the Lord
“Do Not Be Amazed! He Has Been Raised; He Is Not Here.”
We have come to the climactic conclusion of our roller coaster Holy Week. First, Jesus' triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, then the loving example of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples at the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday ("As I have done, so you also must do.") Then on Good Friday, the abject sorrow of Jesus' passion and death on the cross and burial. And now, the incalculable joy as we learn that “He has been raised . . . He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you."
There are two distinct liturgies for our Easter celebration, each with its own selection of scripture readings. Please click the 'read more' link below to read the full reflection for each Mass.
On this glorious Easter Day, may we reflect on the words of Pope Saint John Paul II (Angelus - 1986): "We do not pretend that life is all beauty. We are aware of darkness and sin, of poverty and pain. But we know Jesus has conquered sin and passed through his own pain to the glory of the Resurrection. And we live in the light of his Paschal Mystery - the mystery of his Death and Resurrection. 'We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!'"
God, grant that we may sing Alleluia with our lives all year long.
Read and reflect on the readings for Easter Vigil, Saturday, March 30 at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/033024.cfm
Read and reflect on the readings for Easter Sunday, March 31 at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/033124.cfm
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