My Ecclesial World

April 16, 2006    Solemnity of Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection (B) - White

First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 10: 34a, 37-43
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118 "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad"
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8 or Colossians 3:1-4
Sequence: Victimae Paschali Laudes
Gospel: John 20:1-9

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!" (Ps 118:24)

Today the whole Church resonates with joy at Christ’s Resurrection from the dead. Two days ago, Christ died for our sins and was victorious when he defeated sin and mocked death by the salvation he won for his people. We shared in his death, for we died of our sins and promised to renew our life in Christ. We, too, were buried with him in the tomb and took our sleep death when we try to make ourselves new and prepare worthily to rise again with Christ. Now, on this most holy day, we rise with Christ to new life, "For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life" (1 Cor 15:22). We do not "rise" literally with him, but we "rise" with him through our own baptism, through our cleansing of oneself and getting rid of our sinful selves and transforming to a new and cleaner people, worthy to be called his children.

Indeed, "this is the day the Lord has made," (Ps 118:24) a day for himself, a day for us, Christians. Let us not forget that this is the central mystery of our faith: that Christ’s dying, we share in his destruction of death, and by his rising, we share in his restoration of our lives. Let us thank God for Good Friday. For, if there was no Good Friday, there would be no Easter Sunday. Let us thank God that his will was done, "Fiat voluntas tuam," and was followed by Christ. Let us thank God for the gift of his Son, our Lord, the Lord of life and death.

Truly, Easter Sunday is a day of victory. Easter Sunday is the day when all of heaven and earth bow down to God for his greatest miracle, the resurrection of his Son. The devil screams in agony for his works did not persevere but failed. Easter Sunday’s mystery bring importance to humanity: by celebrating and remembering the victory of Christ over sin and death, we rise with Him to new life. Easter Sunday is the day the Lord has made, therefore, let us rejoice and be glad. And with everyone, every Christian, we hold each others’ hands and together with the apostle, we can join in mocking death: "Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?" (1 Cor 15:54-55).

April 15, 2006    Easter Vigil of the Lord’s Resurrection (B) - White

First Reading: Genesis 1:1 - 2:2
Responsorial Psalm I: Psalm 104 "Lord, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth."
Second Reading: Genesis 22:1-18
Responsorial Psalm II: Psalm 16 "You are my inheritance, O Lord."
Third Reading: Exodus 14:15 - 15:1
Responsorial Psalm III: Exodus 15 "Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory."
Epistle: Romans 6:3-11
Alleluia & Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118 "Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia."
Proclamation of the Resurrection: Mark 16:1-7
*Readings 4-7 may be read. If there will be any omittance of readings, the third reading must always be read.

"This is the night when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave." (Exsultet)

"Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Cor 15:20) - The Scriptures have been fulfilled this very night. The predictions and prophecies that the prophets prophesied in the Old Testament have found their fulfillment in the New Testament when Christ came into being. And now, the prophecies about the Messiah, that he must suffer, die and rise again in glory, have been fulfilled through the Resurrection of Christ. And it happened this very night. This is the night when good triumphs over evil. This is the night when heaven is wedded to earth. This is the night when humanity is reconciled to God. This is the night when Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphantly from the grave. This is the night of the Lord!

We Remember. "For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures" (1 Cor 15:3-4) - Let us go back to history and trace back the events that led to our Lord’s Resurrection. One fundamental aspect of the Lord’s Paschal Mystery is his Passion. Jesus encountered and made many enemies in his ministry. And these enemies led to the antagonism of the cross - the start of his passion. They led him to several trials before the High Priest Caiaphas, Herod and Pontius Pilate, who ordered for his crucifixion. They scourged him, crowned him with thorns, and mocked him as a false "king of the Jews." They led him out to Calvary, carrying a wood of the cross weighing about triple his very own weight. He fell down three times under the weight of the cross. By merely suffering alone, he lost his humanity - the dignity of his own person. Jesus is then crucified on the cross. He stayed there, carrying his own weight against the iron nails and the gravity that pulls him down, to the fullest, without any hesitation of going down nor without any regrets of him not accepting the Father’s will. We must understand that "Jesus’ violent death is not a result of chance in an unfortunate conincidence of circumstances, but is part of the mystery of God’s plan" (CCC 599). He died for our sins as a living mysery of our redemption. "For Christ has ransomed us with his blood, and paid for us the price of Adam’s sin to our Eternal Father." (Exsultet) Upon his death, evil is conquered and in the same way, death is conquered by victory. "Where, O death, is your victory?" (1 Cor 15:54) Evil has lost in the struggle between good and bad. He was eventually buried, just as any human person who dies, in a tomb near his death place. And now, we come to share the vision of his resurrection, when after three days, an angel of the Lord announces, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen!" (Luke 24:5-6). Christ is indeed risen!

We Celebrate. "Therefore, heavenly Father, in the joy of this night, receive our evening sacrifice of praise, your Church’s solemn offering." (Exsultet) - Tonight we come together to celebrate Christ’s Resurrection. We are indeed gifted with the color and uniqueness of this precious liturgy. The Service of the Light reminds us that the passage from death to life is dramatically signified by light piercing through the darkness of the night. The Easter Candle reminds us of Christ’s light shining through the darkness and that this pillar of light will not falter but will give us light eternal. The Liturgy of the Word accompanies us as we trace back the history of God’s loving plan of salvation. God gave us the world and created it for us and we should care for it. God also frees us from the bondage of sin and leads us to freedom. The highest part is the proclamation of Christ’s Resurrection, where we all together rejoice at the triumph of our Lord over sin and death. The Liturgy of Baptism celebrates our own initiation in the Church. It reminds us that we belong to a family - God’s very own. This beautiful liturgy calls to mind our own baptism and renews our sense of belongingness in this faith. The Liturgy of the Eucharis, the climax of our celebration, makes us unite in the table of the Lord to celebrate his resurrection from the dead. "Christ has become our paschal sacrifice; let us feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Cor 5:7-8). With the end of this mass, we end the liturgy we started on Holy Thursday evening. Hence, this whole liturgy is a celebration of our faith - a celebration unique to us Christians.

We Believe. "This is the night when Christians everywhere are restored to grace and grow together in holiness." (Exsultet) - Christ’s resurrection is the foundation of our Christian faith. The very act of resurrecting from the dead is a definitive source of confirmation for all of his teachings and miracles - giving enough proof of his divinity in humanity. By his his resurrection, Christ opened for us the way to new life, "so that as Christ is raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4). And finally, Christ’s resurrection is the principle of our future resurrection in Him. As Christians, we have the calling to live a renewed life in his Spirit. Magbagong-buhay tayo! Yes, it is hard, but the simple giving of coins to street children, offering to the Pondo ng Pinoy, and the most simplest saying of "I love you" to loved ones, contemplate on the resurrection of Christ and our eventual new life. Christ invites us to live a new life in him freely, for he conquered sin and death in his resurrection.

Happy Easter to one and all!

April 14, 2006    Good Friday - Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion (B) - Red

First Reading: Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31; Luke 23:46 "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."
Second Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ: John 18:1 - 19:42

"Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?" (1 Cor 15:54-55)

"Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death is your victory?" (1 Cor 15:54-55) - The mystery of Good Friday presents to us Jesus Christ crucified on the cross, who died for our sins, making possible a victorious triumph in the struggle against good and evil. Christ’s death brings victory to humanity. Christ’s death brings victory to Himself. Christ’s death brings victory to God’s loving plan of salvation. Moreover, death is maked by victory. Death will no longer mean a sad reality, but because of Jesus, death will mean, forevermore, a victory in Christ’s name, a resurrection from death to new life in the new heavens, "The dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Cor 15:52).

Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion is the only day in the Church year when we do not celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, for on this day we recall the greatest sacrifice there is - Jesus’ death on the cross. And this sacrifice won him victory over evil.

"The sting of death is sin" (1 Cor 15:56) - Christ died for our sins. He saved all of us and made redemption possible through his sacrificial offering on the cross. He did not choose to die, but submitted himself wholeheartedly to God’s will, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). Jesus’ YES to his Father’s will made possible salvation for me, for us, for everyone. The cross was precipitated by sin. If not for our sins, Christ did not die. Sin is the root cause of our alienation from God. But because of his immense love and mercy for us all, he bridged the gap between sin and love and makes us come back to him whenever we repent from our sins, "Let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found" (Luke 15:23-24).

"The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Cor 15:26) - Christ’s death is the climax of his teaching ministry on earth. He has seen and made many enemies while teaching in Jerusalem, Galilee, and other towns he entered. But these earthly enemies all lead to one single entity, challenged by evil - death. And still, being on the cross ’til his last breath, Christ taught lessons to be used in life - forgiveness, unconditional love, and obedience. His seven last words give testimony to his last teachings before the resurrection. But still, death did not win the match. Christ became obedient to death, and because of this, he won salvation for us all.

"Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor 15:57) - Have you felt Christ’s love? Especially when he was on the cross? If you haven’t, try to kneel down before a crucifix with the image of Christ crucified, and take a glance on his suffering face. You will see his eyes looking at you, and you will hear a voice, a crying but commanding voice, saying, "My son, you are part of this sacrifice I’m making. Go and love your brothers." Jesus does not possess to himself the glory of his victory on the cross, but instead, he makes us sharers in this victory. Hence, we are cooperators in the sacrifice of Christ crucified. He is victorious upon his death, more importantly, we are victorious in Christ’s death. And what great response can we give to Christ crucified than our loving service and total, unselfish dedication to others in our life. Just as Jesus sacrificed on the cross, we too are called to partake of his sacrifice by our loving service to others. We should give thanks to God for he made possible our share in Christ’s victory.

Good Friday is not yet over. We know that Christ has been buried and has become victorious on his cross. But this is not the end of everything…this victory is not yet over. For the victory of God will reach its climax in His Son’s Resurrection from the death, where Christ won victory over the corruption of sin and death. After three days, Jesus will rise again, and when he destroys death, he does it for everyone, and not only for himself. Those whom he calls "his very own" will share in his triumphant victory. And so, those who are worthy have the right to mock Death: "Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?" (1 Cor 15:54-55).

Liturgical Notes:

1.    There is no mass on Good Friday. There is only an afternoon liturgy of the Lord’s Passion, at around 3:00 pm. This service is also called, the Mass of the Pre-Sanctified. This is the continuation of last evening’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Once again, this liturgy does not end, but continues in tomorrow’s Easter Vigil.
2.    The liturgy is divided into 4 parts: The Liturgy of the Word, where we read the Lord’s Passion and reflect on this mystery; The General Intercessions, where we pray for the universal intentions of the Church; The Veneration of the Cross, where we kiss and venerate the wood of the cross; and Holy Communion, where we celebrate and accept Christ’s suffering on the cross through receiving his body which were consecrated during last night’s mass.
3.    The altar is empty. The images of the saints and crucifixes are covered with a black or purple veil. The tabernacle is empty and kept open.
4.    Once again, there is no blessing and all depart in silence. The altar is once again stripped after the liturgy.
5.    Evening Prayer is not said by those who participate in this afternoon’s service.

April 13, 2006      Holy Thursday-Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (B) - White

First Reading: Exodus 12:1-8,11-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116 "Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ"
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Gospel: John 13:1-15

"I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."

With tonight’s celebration of the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, we solemnly begin the Easter Triduum of our Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. This is when we, the People of God, gather together as one family to join in the celebration of the most Holy Eucharist, which is the sole celebration of the mass today. This is the night, when we Christians, gather together to reminisce the very night when Jesus started his passion through the partaking of his Last Supper. On this most solemn night, the Lord does not only remind us to celebrate his Last Supper, his total giving of himself in his body and blood, but he reminds us to follow his unselfish love, brotherly service and unconditional relationship with his disciples, with us, his brothers and sisters in faith.

Tonight’s celebration of the Last Supper brings us three commemorations that are fundamental in our Christian Life. These three things are those instituted by Christ in the first Last Supper, which he entrusted to his beloved friends at the Cenacle, the Upper Room. These three things are now handed on to us for us celebrate, believe in, and live.
1.    The Holy Eucharist as a sacrament of God’s love. Very often do we come together to celebrate the mass. Every Sunday, we come together to celebrate the Lord’s memory in the Holy Mass, as a sign of our fraternity and solidarity with the Church and as thanksgiving to God. Little did we know that this Eucharist is solemnly instituted by Christ to serve as an unending pact/covenant of love between him, God and his people. On the night he was betrayed, Jesus ate and celebrated the passover with his disciples in what we know as his Last Supper. The formula we use today is traced back to the original blessing Christ uttered on that supper table, "This is my body…This is my blood…do this in remembrance of me." This act of total self-giving in the form of bread and wine alludes to his death on the cross. That’s why in our second reading, the apostle Paul invites us to "proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again," for us to live the memorial of this unending sacrifice. This Last Supper is the start of God’s love story in the context of the Paschal Triduum.
2.    The Sacrament of Priesthood as service for others. This very night, Jesus instituted the sacrament of priesthood through washing his disciples’ feet. The very essence of priesthood is by totally serving others…unconditionally. The feet are the externally dirtiest part of men’s bodies. These are used for walking and they touch the ground. Unless we wash our feet, they will remain dirty and blemished and the priests are here to cleanse these dirty feet. They are here to help us cleanse our spirituality. The priests live in total service of cleaning ourselves to renew a new life. Maybe, what we see now in priesthood, we "do not understand now, but" we "will understand later." And so, when we see our priests take a towel and tie it around their waists, and pour water into a basin and begin to wash others’ feet, we should also become other priests, ready to be in service for others.
3.    Christ’s Commandement of Brotherly Love as a uniting source. Jesus did not forget his disciples. When he knew that his time had come, he gave them something to remember him, something that will unite them even though he’s gone. Christ gave them his commandment of brotherly love: "Love one another, as I have loved you." He did this for he knew, without love, the disciples will be fearful and they will eventually lose their faith in one another. Hence, he gave this commandment and even concretized it by his washing of their feet. "If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet." And so it was, loving others is not simply showing them you care for them and by merely hugging and/or kissing them, but loving others entails kneeling in service to wash one another’s feet. Loving unconditionally will then unite us as Christ’s followers.

And so we are gathered this very night to watch over Christ and join him on his way to Calvary. His teaching does not end here, but it continues on the cross where immense love will be shown. His Last Supper is a testimony for us Christians that we are indeed a People of God, a People of Love. The bread and wine that we bless is a communion with Christ, and with others. And we ought to live these things not only tonight, but everyday of our lives. For Christ gave himself as a model to be followed, so should we become models as Christ did.

Liturgical Notes:
1.   The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper is the start of the Triduum. It is the only mass celebrated on the day (with the exeption of the Chrism Mass in the morning at certain basilicas).
2.   The church bells are rung with great joy during the singing of the Gloria. They all remain silent until the Gloria of the Easter Vigil. Clappers, wooden instruments are used to replace the bells during consecration and Eucharistic procession.
3.   The Washing of the Feet is done after the homily. The 12 disciples must represent a cross-section of the Church community.
4.   There must be a sufficient number of hosts to be consecrated for tonight and tomorrow. There will be no Eucharist (consecration of hosts) tomorrow.
5.   The transfer of the Eucharist to the altar of repose is done right after the post communion prayer. The priest is dressed with the cope, and the Eucharist is processed around the Church before transferred to the altar of repose. Upon reaching the altar, the priest places the ciborium in the tabernacle and incenses it. After incensing, the tabernacle is closed. The clergy leave in silence. The adoration is only until midnight. After midnight, the Eucharist will be transferred to a place (altar of reposition) outside the Church.
6.   The altar is stripped. Nothing may remain on the altar.
7.   The mass does not end for there is one single unity formed by the liturgies of tonight, Good Friday and Easter Vigil. This liturgy ends only with the Mass of Easter Vigil.
8.   The Evening Prayer is said only by those who did not attend this evening’s services.

The Sunday Gospel Reflection will be back during this most holy season. The following is the schedule for the service:
a. The Solemn Paschal Triduum (Holy Thursday-Easter Sunday)
b. The Ascension of the Lord
c. The Solemnity of Pentecost
d. Trinity Sunday
e. Corpus Christi
f. The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart and its novena

May this help you in your liturgical journey on the Jesus’ Passion, Death and eventual Resurrection for our salvation.

God bless and I hope you continue your travel with me.