2nd Sunday of Easter (A)

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

April 27, 2014
Liturgical readings
Acts 2:42-47
Psalm 118
1 Peter 1:3-9
John 20:19-31

"Peace be with you."

Rereading the gospel will reveal that Jesus said 'Peace be with you' three times. In school, when teachers want to say something important to their students, they usually repeat it many times. This logic of repetition is followed also by the evangelists. And in this gospel passage of John, the theme of peace is emphasize through repetition. John also links the theme of peace with the Holy Spirit, the sacrament of Reconciliation, and with faith in the risen Lord (referring to St. Thomas the Apostles' statement of faith). After Jesus' followers were disturbed by the reality of His death, Jesus now conquers their fear and discouragement with the appearance of His Presence - a peace which only He can give.

That event in biblical times is now memorialized every 2nd Sunday of Easter. St. John Paul II instituted it as "Divine Mercy Sunday". This new practice has its source in the devotion promoted by St. Faustina Kowalska - the devotion to Jesus as the Divine Mercy. Rereading carefully the liturgical readings for this Sunday, the theme of mercy is found not only in the gospel, but also in the very text of Psalm 118 and in 1 Peter 1:3-9. These readings reveal that "He who in His great mercy, gave us new birth...a birth to an imperishable inheritance. This inheritance kept for us in heaven, the Lord will guard well if we persevere until the end.

The journey of the Lord to Calvary, His crucifixion, death and resurrection from the dead, gives the meaning to every Christian's life. The mystery reveals a God who is merciful and who brings peace. God sent Jesus to tell the world that death is not the end of all human existence. It is His Word and Sacrament that continues to bring hope - a hope that makes daily life vibrant, with moral courage and hearts filled with a joy that never fades. He gives meaning to every human suffering. Every instance we seek God, He shall gift us with His boundless mercy and peace - new life that has its ultimate destiny in everlasting life with Him.

Scripture quotes for reflection:
"Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, he who in his great mercy gave us new birth; a birth unto hope which draws its life from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter)

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.).