The Resurrection of Christ

The Resurrection event is Christ's victory over death

Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection (the Paschal mystery) is the "good news" - the main message of Christian faith. His suffering, death on the Cross, and His resurrection empowers all believers to overcome all suffering caused by the realities of sin and death in the world. Faith and works in Christ is the key to salvation.

Introduction

The gospel stories in the New Testament reveal the empty tomb as a clue to the resurrection of Christ. The other elements which act as a background to that empty tomb event are: (1) the appearance of the angel telling that Jesus has risen, (2) the burial cloths all neatly folded up beside the tomb, (3) the stone of the tomb rolled away as seen by the women who wanted to put spices on Jesus' dead body, and (4) the many resurrection appearances Jesus performed for His apostles and disciples. All these are found in the gospel of Matthew [Mt 28:1-20]; the gospel of Mark [Mk 16:1-20]; the gospel of Luke [Lk 24:1-53]; and the gospel of John [Jn 20:1-31, 21:1-25].


There really is no detailed evidence found in Scripture of a bright light or a description of the way Jesus had risen from the dead as popularly depicted on movie screens. The only evidence of truth that Jesus indeed resurrected is the great faith which many followers of Jesus have shown by their martyr's witness. It began with the example of the apostles. And this can be attested throughout the two millenia of history: both in the Catholic Church and in the other Christian churches. Many martyrs have witnessed to the world that Jesus is indeed the Life and the Resurrection.

Jesus' death and resurrection foretold in the Old Testament and by the prophecies of Jesus' Himself


There are many allusions to Jesus' death and rising from the dead in the Old Testament. One popular story is Jonah - who was three days in the belly of a whale. Even Christ Himself alluded to Jonah in his preaching. He said that just as Jonah was three days in the belly of the whale, so "shall the Son of Man" be dead for three days and rise again to life on the third day. [Mt 12:38-42; Mk 8:11-12; Lk 11:29-32]


In the gospels, Jesus also foretells His death and resurrection many times: three times to be exact.

• First prophecy of the Passion [Mt 16:21-23; Mk 8:31-33; Lk 9:22]


• Second prophecy of the Passion [Mt 17:22-23; Mk 9:30-32; Lk 9:44-45]


• Third prophecy of the Passion [Mt 20:17-19; Mk 10:32-34; Lk 18:31-33]

The paschal mystery commemorated in the Eucharist

When the priest presides over the Eucharistic celebration and consecrates the bread and the wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, Catholics are reminded of the paschal mystery. It is this mystery which gives Christians their identity, the meaning, direction and their contribution to the Christian mission. They receive all this in the Eucharist and bring the message of Easter to the very places they work and live. The Eucharist is a meal that nourishes the faithful and gives the believers the strength to bring the gospel to the world. By consuming the Body and Blood of Christ, all Catholics become the body and blood of Christ to others: in every thought, word, and deed.

The relevance of Jesus' death and rising for this time

The message of Holy Week and Easter is a reminder to all the faithful not to be tempted to shy away from the daily difficulties of work and life. The faithful can go easily leave their comfort zones from time to time and contribute to the greater good: through alms for the poor and voluntary service to the needy. It is in these present times of crises in many parts of the world that the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus becomes very valuable. In difficult times God becomes really real. All Christians see in Jesus the strength needed to conquer vice, suffering, sin and death. Hope in Jesus will always see all through.


The social relevance of Jesus' death and rising is salvation within the context of a Christian community: a family, a neighborhood, or a parish. Salvation from Jesus is in the Church who ministers to all the baptized the sacraments. These signs of God's live channel God's graces to save the Christian community from sin and death.

Memorial of Saints (April 10)

St. Michael de Sanctis wanted to be a monk at six years of age. But his parents made him work first as an apprentice of a merchant. In 1603 A.D., he entered the Trinitarian Monastery in Barcelona. After studies in Seville and Salamanca, he was ordained. He became superior of the monastic house in Villadolid. Because of his great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, his companions already considered him a saint (died ca. 1625 A.D.).

St. Magdalen of Canossa joined the Carmelites but lived with them only shortly. She liked better the apostolate of serving Christ in the poor. Eventually, she was able to organize a school, recruited teachers, and created a form of religious life for them. She received papal approval for her congregation in 1824 A.D. - receiving the name Canossian Sisters of Charity. After a time, she was also able to organize a congregation for priests and brothers (died ca. 1835 A.D.).

St. Bademus founded a monastery near his birthplace in Bethlapat, Persia. But during the persecution of Christians under King Sapor II of Persia, he and seven companions were imprisoned and tortured. A Christian by the name of Nerson, was promised his freedom by the Persian authorities, if he would prove his denial of his Christian faith by killing St. Bademus. This is how St. Bademus died as a martyr for the faith (died ca. 376 A.D.).

St. Macaire of Ghent became bishop of Jerusalem in 314 A.D. He fought the Arian heresy and took part in the Council of Nicaea. Tradition says that he was with St. Helena (mother of Emperor Constantine) when she found the three crosses - one of which belonged to Jesus. When they let one of the crosses touch a seriously ill woman, and she got well, that Cross was proclaimed as the Cross of Christ. St. Macaire was then commissioned by Constantine to build a church over Christ's sepulcher (died ca. 335 A.D.).

St. Fulbert studied at Rheims under Gerbert. He became chancellor of Chartres and head of its cathedral school. When he was then elected to the see of Chartres, as bishop of his diocese, St. Fulbert rebuilt the cathedral, influenced the secular leaders of his time, and fought against simony - a sacrilege that consists in buying and selling what is spiritual in return for material things. St. Fulbert was a very accomplished bishop, producing many sermons, hymns, letters and treatises (died ca. 1029 A.D.).

St. Paternus of Abdinghof was the first to become a monk at Abdinghof monastery, under St. Meinwerk. Paternus decided to become a hermit in a cell adjoining the monastery. When a devastating fire in 1058 A.D. destroyed Abdinghof (an event foretold and predicted by St. Paternus), Paternus was burned to death because he refused to leave his cell and break his vow of enclosure (died ca. 1058 A.D.).

Easter Sunday (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) Years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

April 20, 2014
Liturgical readings
Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Psalm 118
Colossians 3:1-4
John 20:1-9

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good."

The versicle mentioned above is from the Responsorial Psalm of Easter vigil. It is all of the faithful's joyful response to God's gift of new life in Christ's resurrection. What Jesus always foretold before His apostles about His rising from the dead, is now made real in the power of the Spirit. What the Apostles did not understand before, is now revealed in the glory of His risen Body. As the days unfolded before the Apostles through the empty tomb, and then many resurrection appearances thereafter, the followers of Jesus continually rejoice and give thanks to the Lord upon seeing Him risen from the dead.

In one of his writings, St. Augustine of Hippo says that we have already received this new life in Christ through the sacrament of baptism. This new life we receive, will be brought to completion only in the resurrection of the dead. So, as we journey on to our eternal destiny in Christ, we renew our fidelity to Christian life candle-lit in the Easter Sunday celebration of the Eucharist. This solemn symbol reminds us of the great gift of new life we receive in Christ. By this renewal of baptismal vows with lit candles, we are encouraged by the Church to seek more the things above: to set our hearts beyond just the concerns of the flesh, the world, and to reject all that is not of God in our lives.

Scripture quotes for reflection:
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Israel say, 'His mercy endures forever'. (Psalm 118)