Pastor's Letter 20240331 - 31 March 2024 - Easter Sunday

[Father Michael]

March 31^st, 2024

Easter Sunday

Message from Father ^†Michael

Today’s Theme:  “He is Risen, Indeed, Alleluia!”

Reflections on Today’s Scripture

(Acts 10:34-43)    As the book of Acts unfolds, ^†Luke relates an early sermon of ^†Peter, in which summarizes the ministry of Jesus that he witnessed—not simply as to Jesus’ words and works, or to His death, but also to the fact of His Resurrection!  The cross of Jesus would have been no more than a grim reminder of His defeat, without His rising—an emblem of a victim.  But by virtue of the Resurrection, His cross became a symbol of victory; a sign of salvation.   ^†Luke goes on to declare that Jesus is the One all the prophets foresaw—the Messiah.  All who believe in Him will have their sins forgiven. 

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(1 Colossians 3:1-4)  ^†Paul writes that through our Baptism, we already share in the risen life of Christ, though in a hidden and mysterious way. We have been raised in company with Christ in the illogical mystery of Christ’s dying and rising.  Jesus’ triumph in the body over sin and death is a moral imperative for all believers to reflect in the mystical Body of Christ, here and now.  His vindication has become our victory; His triumph our salvation!

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(John 20:1-9)  Upon discovering the empty tomb, ^†Mary Magdalene and the disciples initially suspected “foul play”—that the body of the Lord was stolen.  Only after in the later appearances of the Risen Lord to His followers did they begin to grasp how the Scriptures had foretold that Jesus would rise from the dead.  Christian faith in Jesus’ victory over death resolves the ambiguity/contradiction of the cross and the crucified Jesus.  By virtue of His Resurrection, Jesus became the example that will culminate in our own resurrection.  We rejoice in the fact that because of Him, we live, today, and for an “eternity of tomorrows.”  

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Significance of the Resurrection

The confession, “God raised Jesus from the dead,” implies more…much more than the deed of raising from the dead.  It implies the Kingdom of God—the rule of God—has indeed come, in Person of Jesus.  The Resurrection should not be regarded as an isolated fact, for by declaring “Christ is risen,” we acknowledge that God’s saving promises were accomplished in Jesus.  Although troubling to the apostles (“We had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel” [Luke 24:21,])  Jesus had seen His whole life—and His mission—in relation to fulfillment of this promise. (The disciples were only able to interpret the Resurrection as God’s confirmation of everything for which Jesus stood, when He appeared to them afterward.)

Jesus died with the cry on His lips: “My God; My God; why have You abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34.)  The Resurrection showed that God had never abandoned Him—and we are, thereby, assured He will never abandon us.  Because He was raised from the dead, Jesus holds decisive significance for us.  Through our faith in the Resurrection, we know that both our death and lives have meaning….  

If the life of Jesus showed the meaning of His death, the life-and-death of Jesus showed the meaning of His Resurrection.  Jesus’ life was an exemplification of the Kingdom of God, that had prepared for us by His death, and His Resurrection was the vindication of everything for which He stood.  This involved more than merely the authentication of His message. 

Resurrection, for one thing, underlies the reality of Jesus’ communion with God—His “Abba-consciousness” ——which death could not interrupt.  The Resurrection demonstrated that God is, indeed, the God of humankind; He Who holds out the promise of life beyond death to all of us.  In other words, the Resurrection is not only something that happened to Jesus; it reaches to us, now—not only as it concerns our future resurrection.  

The Resurrection of Christ gives us power to live the Christian life (Romans 8:11.)  Certainly, Scripture does not teach that we will be sinless in our physical body.  On the other hand, we can sin less, by the power of the Holy Spirit, not by our own abilities.  We must believe that through Christ we can become altogether different kinds of people. Through our belief in Him we have the power to live a truly transformed life.

Jesus, Himself, becomes physically present within us, as our Risen Lord, every time we partake in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and receive the Blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.   In this wonderful gift, He enables us to give our own substance to the Kingdom—for He is Emmanuel—"God-with-us!”

May God Richly Bless You!

Meditation Music:

Easter Cry of Praise, An.docx

To view a recording of today's Holy Mass, click here:

 

 

Edited March 30 by Father Michael