Easter Sunday (2)

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The resurrection of Jesus is central to the Christian's present and future as is seen in John, Acts, and Paul

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Title

The Centrality of the Resurrection

Outline

We often talk about the centrality of the cross

And that is very true for without the cross there is no salvation - we have not been separated from our sin, we are still estranged from God
But the cross is a prelude in that it is like releasing someone from prison. They walk out the gate and now what? Is there life after prison?
Here we find the centrality of the resurrection, for in that we are joined to Jesus it shows us life after the nothingness or death of life without Jesus. In other words, it is not just “a happy ending after an unjust execution.”

That is the difference that we see in John

Mary knows that the tomb is empty, but she does not know that Jesus is raised. This could be more bad news.
Peter and the Beloved Disciple run to the tomb; it is only when they see that the burial clothes are still there but empty, that the head-cloth is laid aside showing the empty inside that they realize this was no theft but a living body somehow passing through the heavy burial clothes.
They do not know where he is, but they know he is somewhere. And that somewhere is where their hearts are.
Mary will come back and will seek him, but it is only when she turns from where he is not to look away that she encounters him, and he is her future.

Peter in Acts points to Jesus as part of the church’s future

“This man God raised [on] the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance” - that is presence
But with spiritual experience there always comes mission: “42 He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.” There is indeed a future. But so that it is not read as a negative future for his hearers he adds: “To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

So, Sisters, Paul gives us the meaning for us

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.”
We may partake in the cross, but our minds and hearts are with Jesus in his present rule. Our earthly passions and desires have died with Christ (although, as the Imitation of Christ tells us, we have to work this out) and our present and future is with Christ, including sharing his honor status when he appears.
That is why most semi-scholarly attacks on Jesus are attacks on his resurrection, not his crucifixion.
And that is why the spiritual forces arrayed against us want us focused on our past and our sufferings and not on our union with Christ in the present and the future.
So the cross is central to our deliverance, but having been delivered the resurrection and the resurrected Christ are central to our present and future.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 4-17-2022: Easter Sunday

FIRST READING

Acts 10:34a, 37–43

34 Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.

37 what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of 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. 40 This man God raised [on] the third day and granted that he be visible, 41 not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Catholic Daily Readings 4-17-2022: Easter Sunday

RESPONSE

Psalm 118:24

24 This is the day the LORD has made;

let us rejoice in it and be glad.

PSALM

Psalm 118:1–2, 16–17, 22–23

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

his mercy endures forever.

2 Let Israel say:

his mercy endures forever.

16 the LORD’s right hand is raised;

the LORD’s right hand works valiantly.”

17 I shall not die but live

and declare the deeds of the LORD.

22 The stone the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

23 By the LORD has this been done;

it is wonderful in our eyes.

Catholic Daily Readings 4-17-2022: Easter Sunday

SECOND READING

Option A

Colossians 3:1–4

CHAPTER 3

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

OR

Option B

1 Corinthians 5:6b–8

6 Your boasting is not appropriate. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? 7 Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Catholic Daily Readings 4-17-2022: Easter Sunday

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

1 Corinthians 5:7b–8a

7 Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

GOSPEL

Option A

John 20:1–9

1 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. 9  For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Catholic Daily Readings 4-17-2022: Easter Sunday

OR

Option B

Luke 24:1–12

CHAPTER 24

1 But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. 5 They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? 6 He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” 8 And they remembered his words. 9  Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others. 10 The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles, 11 but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them. 12  But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.

Catholic Daily Readings 4-17-2022: Easter Sunday

OR

Option C

Luke 24:13–35

13 Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, 14 and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. 15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, 16  but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. 22 Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning 23 and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. 24 Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. 29 But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. 31 With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. 32 Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” 33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them 34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 4-17-2022: Easter Sunday

SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2022 | EASTER

EASTER SUNDAY

YEAR C | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Acts 10:34a, 37–43

Response Psalm 118:24

Psalm Psalm 118:1–2, 16–17, 22–23

Second Reading Colossians 3:1–4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b–8

Gospel Acclamation 1 Corinthians 5:7b–8a

Gospel John 20:1–9 or Luke 24:1–12 or Luke 24:13–35

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