FIRST READING
“We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.”
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 10:34a.37-43)
In those days: Peter opened his mouth and said, “You know the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest; not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 118: I-2.15c- 17.22-23 (R. 24)
R/. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.
Or: Alleluia.
Give praise to the Lord, for he is good;
his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.” R/.
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty deeds;
his right hand is exalted.
The Lord’s right hand has done mighty deeds.”
I shall not die, I shall live
and recount the deeds of the Lord. R/.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the Lord has this been done,
a marvel in our eyes. R/.
SECOND READING
“Seek the things that are above, where Christ is.”
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians (Colossians 3:1-4)
Brethren: If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
The word of the Lord.
Or the following:
SECOND READING
“Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be new dough.”
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5:6b-8)
Do you not know that a little leaven leavens all the dough? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be new dough, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
The word of the Lord.
Sequence (prose text)
To the Paschal Victim let Christians offer a sacrifice of praise.
The Lamb redeemed the sheep.
Christ, sinless, reconciled sinners to the Father.
Death and life were locked together in a unique struggle.
Life’s captain died; now he reigns, never more to die.
Tell us, Mary, “What did you see on the way?” “I saw the tomb of the now living Christ.
I saw the glory of Christ, now risen. “I saw angels who gave witness;
the cloths too which once had covered head and limbs. “Christ my hope has arisen.
He will go before his own into Galilee.”
We know that Christ has indeed risen from the dead. Do you, conqueror and king, have mercy on us.
Amen. Alleluia.
Or the following:
Sequence (poetic text)
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems: Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
Bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen:
To Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.
ALLELUIA 1 Corinthians 5:7b.8a
Alleluia. Christ, our Paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed; let us, therefore, celebrate the festival in the Lord. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“He must rise from the dead.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 20:1-9)
On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went towards the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
The Gospel of the Lord.
OR
GOSPEL
“He has risen and he is going before you to Galilee.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 28:1-10)
After the sabbath, towards the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Behold, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Hail!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Today’s Reflection
On being alerted by Mary Magdalene, Peter and John run to the Lord’s tomb to see if the body had been stolen by someone-a hypothesis that was ruled out by what they saw there. They re-read the event in a new way, in the light of Scripture.
The liturgical assembly on Easter day exults in realizing all the hopes of the messianic people of God-the hope of liberation, of entering into the Promised Land, of restoration of justice, of new earth and new heavens. The faithful of Christ have entered into this new reality and live and move in its light. The real newness is Christ who came into the world lived with humans, died and rose again and is ever present.
It is in him that the interior human being is renewed every day (2cor 4:6). The exterior man, the old reality, needs to be broken to open up the way for the birth of the new human reality, the fruit of redemption in Christ. “To put on Christ” is one of the many expressions coined by St Paul to present this mysterious reality of grace. To put on Christ means to enter into him and to live in him so that our life becomes hidden in him and with him in God. Thus, “anyone who is in Christ is a new creature. The Christian is dead to sin and risen with Christ to new life.