Celebrating Easter is Rising with Christ to Eternity
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).
