Easter Sunday Of The Resurrection Of The Lord

March 26, 2016 Column Father De Celles


Christus resurrexit! Resurrexit vere!

Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

 

Praised be Jesus Christ for this glorious day! —the Lord has risen from the dead, conquered sin and death, and crushed the head of the ancient serpent. Alleluia! The world has been redeemed, salvation has been won for all mankind—if only we will accept this infinitely generous gift of Our Risen Lord Jesus.

Thanks to all who worked so hard to help make this an especially Blessed Lent, Holy Week, Triduum and Easter Sunday. On behalf of myself, Fr. Kenna and Fr. Daly, may I wish you all a Happy, Blessed and Holy Easter and Easter Season! May the Risen Lord shower you with His grace, and may His Blessed Mother, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Peter, St. John, St. Cleopas and all the holy women and apostles who saw the risen Lord that first Easter Day keep you in their care in this Glorious Season!

And remember, today is  just the beginning of this new Season of Easter. We continue to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection for 50 days—until we celebrate the sending of the Holy Spirit on the Pentecost. We begin with the Octave of Easter, as for eight days through next Sunday we celebrate each day as if it were Easter Day. May the lessons of Lent and the joy of Easter make the coming season one of true holiness, as we go forth to live as Christ Jesus created and redeemed us to live and to love.

 

Oremus pro invicem. Fr. De Celles

 

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Urbi et Orbi Message of His Holiness Pope Francis

EASTER SUNDAY, 5 April 2015

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Easter!

Jesus Christ is risen!

Love has triumphed over hatred, life has conquered death, light has dispelled the darkness!

Out of love for us, Jesus Christ stripped himself of his divine glory, emptied himself, took on the form of a slave and humbled himself even to death, death on a cross. For this reason God exalted him and made him Lord of the universe. Jesus is Lord!

By his death and resurrection, Jesus shows everyone the way to life and happiness: this way is humility, which involves humiliation. This is the path which leads to glory. Only those who humble themselves can go towards the “things that are above”, towards God (cf. Col 3:1-4). The proud look “down from above”; the humble look “up from below”.

On Easter morning, alerted by the women, Peter and John ran to the tomb. They found it open and empty. Then they drew near and “bent down” in order to enter it. To enter into the mystery, we need to “bend down”, to abase ourselves. Only those who abase themselves understand the glorification of Jesus and are able to follow him on his way.

The world proposes that we put ourselves forward at all costs, that we compete, that we prevail… But Christians, by the grace of Christ, dead and risen, are the seeds of another humanity, in which we seek to live in service to one another, not to be arrogant, but rather respectful and ready to help.

This is not weakness, but true strength! Those who bear within them God’s power, his love and his justice, do not need to employ violence; they speak and act with the power of truth, beauty and love.

From the risen Lord we ask today the grace not to succumb to the pride which fuels violence and war, but to have the humble courage of pardon and peace. We ask Jesus, the Victor over death, to lighten the sufferings of our many brothers and sisters who are persecuted for his name, and of all those who suffer injustice as a result of ongoing conflicts and violence. There are so many of them!

We ask for peace, above all, for beloved Syria and Iraq, that the roar of arms may cease and that peaceful relations may be restored among the various groups which make up those beloved countries. May the international community not stand by before the immense humanitarian tragedy unfolding in these countries and the drama of the numerous refugees.

We pray for peace for all the peoples of the Holy Land. May the culture of encounter grow between Israelis and Palestinians and the peace process be resumed, in order to end years of suffering and division.…

We ask for peace and freedom for the many men and women subject to old and new forms of enslavement on the part of criminal individuals and groups. Peace and liberty for the victims of drug dealers, who are often allied with the powers who ought to defend peace and harmony in the human family. And we ask peace for this world subjected to arms dealers, who profit from the blood of men and women.

May the marginalized, the imprisoned, the poor and the migrants who are so often rejected, maltreated and discarded, the sick and the suffering, children, especially those who are victims of violence; all who today are in mourning, and all men and women of goodwill, hear the consoling and healing voice of the Lord Jesus: “Peace to you!” (Lk 24:36). “Fear not, for I am risen and I shall always be with you” (cf. Roman Missal, Entrance Antiphon for Easter Day).