"Proclaim the Good News to all creation." (Mark 16:14-15)
Scripture Readings for Today (1962 Propers of the Mass):
EPISTLE I Peter 2:1-10.
Beloved: Wherefore laying away all malice and all guile and dissimulations and envies and all detractions, As newborn babes, desire the rational milk without guile, that thereby you may grow unto salvation: If so be you have tasted that the Lord is sweet. Unto whom coming, as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men but chosen and made honourable by God: Be you also as living stones built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore it is said in the scripture: "Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious. And he that shall believe in him shall not be confounded." To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them that believe not, "the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:" And, "a stone of stumbling and a rock of scandal," to them who stumble at the word, neither do believe, whereunto also they are set. But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Who in times past were not a people: but are now the people of God. Who had not obtained mercy: but now have obtained mercy.
Alleluia, alleluia. V. Ps. 117:24
This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. Alleluia!
V. Ps. 112:1. Praise the Lord, you His servants, praise the name of the Lord.
SEQUENCE
May you praise the Paschal Victim,
immolated for Christians.
The Lamb redeemed the sheep:
Christ, the innocent one,
has reconciled sinners to the Father.
A wonderful duel to behold,
as death and life struggle:
The Prince of life dead,
now reigns alive.
Tell us, Mary Magdalen,
what did you see in the way?
"I saw the sepulchre of the living Christ,
and I saw the glory of the Resurrected one:
The Angelic witnesses,
the winding cloth, and His garments.
The risen Christ is my hope:
He will go before His own into Galilee."
We know Christ to have risen
truly from the dead:
And thou, victorious King,
have mercy on us.
Amen. Alleluia.
GOSPEL John 20:1-9.
At that time, on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalen cometh early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre: and she saw the stone taken away from the sepulchre. She ran therefore and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and saith to them: "They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre: and we know not where they have laid him." Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple: and they came to the sepulchre. And they both ran together: and that other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulchre. And when he stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying: but yet he went not in. Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulchre: and saw the linen cloths lying, And the napkin that had been about his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapped up into one place. Then that other disciple also went in, who came first to the sepulchre: and he saw and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Reflection:
Today is the final day in the Octave of Easter. This 8-day long celebration of Easter is coming to an end today on "Low Saturday". Typically, those baptized at the Easter Vigil would wear their baptismal garments through all of the Easter Octave.
Today those garments were laid aside today.
Dom Gueranger writes of this day:
In Rome, the Station is in the Lateran basilica, the mother and mistress of all churches. It is close to the baptistery of Constantine, where, eight days back, the neophytes received the grace of regeneration. The basilica, wherein they are now assembled, is that from which they set out, during the still and dark night, to the font of salvation, led on by the mysterious light of the Paschal torch. It was to this same church that they returned after their Baptism, clad in their white robes, and assisted, for the first time, at the entire celebration of the Christian Sacrifice, and received the Body and Blood of Christ Jesus. No other place could have been more appropriate for the Station of this day, whereon they were to return to the ordinary duties of life. Holy Church sees assembled around her these her new-born children. It is the last time that she will see them in their white garments, and she looks at them with all the affection of a joyful mother. They are most dear to her, as the fruit of heaven’s own giving; and during the week she has frequently given expression to her maternal pride, in canticles such as she alone can sing.
Let us never forget that Our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son, died on the Cross for our salvation. It is through the royal road of the Cross, that we reach the Resurrection. Our Lord has said, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). In Baptism we were spiritually buried with Christ and lain in the tomb in the hopes of rising again. Only through the Cross is there the Resurrection. For this reason, I am always saddened to see churches removing Crucifixes and putting images of the Risen Christ in there. Let us never forget Our Lord's suffering, which leads to the Resurrection. Without the Cross, there is no Resurrection.
There is much evangelization needed over the Internet and in the world. At times I am easily discouraged by the lack of Faith, hatred, and ignorance. But, let us remember Our Lord's words, "In the world, you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world" (John 16:33). Let us go forth each and everyday living by living the teachings of Jesus and preaching the Truth of the Catholic Church and Jesus. Jesus told His disciples to "Proclaim the Good News to all creation" (Mark 16:14-15). We also must help spread the Truth. In the words of St. Francis of Assisi, "Preach always, when necessary use words."
Tomorrow is
Low Sunday. Keep in mind though that
the Easter Season is a full 40 days but when we also add in Ascentiontide and the Octave of Pentecost, Pascaltide as a whole is a full 56 days.
"Bodily pain affects man as a whole down to the deepest layers of his moral being. It forces him to face again the fundamental questions of his fate, of his attitude toward God and fellow man, of his individual and collective responsibility and of the sense of his pilgrimage on earth."
