The Resurrection of the Lord

The Mass of Easter Sunday

L-Għid  il-Kbir tal-Qawmien tal-Mulej mill-Imwiet   

Reading 1                  

acts 10:34a, 37-43

Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached,  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. 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. 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, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 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. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwek Qari

Qari mill-Ktieb ta’ l-Atti ta’ l-Appostli 10, 34a, 37-43

F’dak iż-żmien, Pietru qabad jitkellem u qal: “Intom tafu b’dak li ġara mal-Lhudija kollha, ibda mill-Galilija, wara li Ġwanni xandar il-magħmudija; kif Alla kkonsagra lil Ġesù ta’ Nażaret bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u bil-qawwa, u kif  dan Ġesù għadda jagħmel il-ġid u jfejjaq ’il dawk kollha li kienu maħkuma mix-xitan, għax Alla kien miegħu.  U aħna xhud  ta’ dak kollu li hu għamel fl-art tal-Lhudija u f’Ġerusalemm.  Tawh  il-mewt billi dendluh mal-għuds tas-salib;  imma Alla qajmu mill-imwiet fit-tielet jum u għamel li hu jidher, mhux lil kulħadd, imma li xhieda li Alla għażel minn qabel lilna, li miegħu kilna u xrobna wara li qawmien tiegħu mill-imwiet. Lilna ordnalna biex inxandruh lill-poplu u nixhdu li dan hu dak li Alla għamlu mħallef tal-ħajjin u tal-mejtin. Il-profeti kollha jixhdu għalih u jgħidu li kull min jemmen fih jaqla’ l-maħfra tad-dnubiet. Il-Kelma  tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm              

psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”                         

R/ (24) This is the day the Lord has made; 

let us rejoice and be glad. Alleluia.

                   
“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.”

R/ (24) This is the day the Lord has made; 

let us rejoice and be glad. Alleluia.

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.                             

R/ (24) This is the day the Lord has made; 

let us rejoice and be glad. Alleluia.

Salm Responsorjali                                  

Salm  117

Faħħru l-Mulej, għaliex hu tajjeb,
għax għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu!
Ħa jgħid wlied Israel:
"Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu!"             

  R/    Dan hu l-jum li għamel il-Mulej:

            ħa nifirħu u nithennew fih. Hallelujah.

Il-leminija tal-Mulej 'il fuq merfugħa,
il-leminija tal-Mulej għamlet ħwejjeġ ta’ ħila!
Ma mmutx, imma nibqa' ngħix,
u nħabbar l-għemejjel tal-Mulej.                     

  R/    Dan hu l-jum li għamel il-Mulej:

            ħa nifirħu u nithennew fih. Hallelujah.

Il-ġebla  li warrbu l-bennejja
saret il-ġebla tax-xewka.
Bis-saħħa tal-Mulej seħħ dan:
ħaġa tal-għaġeb f’għajnejna.                          

  R/    Dan hu l-jum li għamel il-Mulej:

            ħa nifirħu u nithennew fih. Hallelujah.

For the Second Reading please choose one of the following passages:

reading 2                           

colossians 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ,  seek what is above,  where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears,  then you too will appear with him in glory.  This is the Word of The Lord.

or                       

1 corinthians 5:6b-8

Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? 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. 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.  This is the Word of The Lord.

Għat-Tieni Qari tingħażel silta mit-tnejn li ġejjin:

It-Tieni Qari

Qari mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Kolossin 3, 1-4

Ħuti, jekk intom irxoxtajtu ma’ Kristu, fittxu l-ħwejjeġ tas-sema, fejn Kristu qiegħed fuq il-lemin ta’ Alla.   Aħsbu  fil-ħwejjeġ tas-sema, mhux f’dawk ta’ l-art. Għax  intom mittu, imma ħajjitkom hi moħbija flimkien ma’ Kristu f’Alla.   Meta  jidher Kristu, li hu l-ħajja tagħkom, imbagħad intom ukoll tidhru flimkien miegħu fil-glorja.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

jew:

Qari  mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Korintin 5, 6b-8

Ħuti,  ma  tafux li ftit ħmira ttalla’ l-għaġna kollha? Tnaddfu mill-ħmira l-qadima ħalli tkunu għaġna ġdida, kif intom bla ħmira.  Il-Ħaruf  tal-Għid tagħna, li hu Kristu, hu maqtul!  Nagħmlu   festa,  mhux bil-ħmira l-qadima, anqas bil-ħmira tal-qerq u tal-ħażen, imma bil-ħobż bla ħmira tas-safa u tas-sewwa. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Sequence   -    

victimæ paschali laudes

Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.

Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.

Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you.”

Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning! 

Amen. Alleluia.

SEKWENZA
Ħa jgħollu l-insara b’tifħirhom
il-Vittma tal-Għid:
għax feda l-Ħaruf in-ngħaġ tiegħu
mill-jasar tal-mewt;
Ġesù reġa’ ħabbeb il-midneb
ma’ Alla l-Missier.

F’taqbida tal-għaġeb mal-Ħajja
inqerdet il-Mewt;
u qam Sid il-ħajja mill-qabar,
isaltan rebbieħ.

Għidilna, Marija, ħabbrilna:
fit-triq  lil min rajt?

“Jien rajt qabar Kristu li rxoxta
fis-sebħ tal-qawmien;
rajt l-Anġli li ġew jagħtu xhieda,
il-faxxa, l-liżar.
Irxoxta mill-mewt Kristu Sidi,
li fih ittamajt!
Mar hu l-Galilija qabilkom:
hemmhekk se tarawh.”

O, nemmnu li llum Kristu rxoxta
tassew mill-imwiet!
Int  mela, Sultan, ħenn għalina,
O Kristu rebbieħ.
Amen! Hallelujah!

Gospel             

john 20:1-9

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. 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.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first;  he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture  that he had to rise from the dead.  This is the Word of The Lord.

L-EVANĠELJU

Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Ġwann 20, 1-9

Kien  l-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, filgħodu kmieni kif kien għadu d-dlam,  u Marjam ta’ Magdala ġiet ħdejn il-qabar u rat il-blata mneħħija mill-qabar.  Għalhekk telqet tiġri għand  Xmun Pietru u għand id-dixxiplu l-ieħor li kien iħobb Ġesù, u qaltilhom: “Qalgħu l-Mulej mill-qabar, u ma nafux fejn qegħduh.” Pietru  u d-dixxiplu l-ieħor ħarġu u ġew ħdejn il-qabar.  It-tnejn ġrew flimkien, imma d-dixxiplu l-ieħor ħaffef  aktar minn Pietru,  u laħaq qablu ħdejn il-qabar.  Tbaxxa,  u ra l-faxex tal-għażel imqiegħda hemm, iżda ma daħalx.  Imbagħad  wasal warajh Xmun Pietru, daħal fil-qabar, u ra l-faxex tal-għażel imqiegħda hemm, u l-maktur li kien madwar rasu; dan ma kienx mal-faxex, imma mitwi u mqiegħed f'post għalih. Imbagħad id-dixxiplu l-ieħor, li kien wasal l-ewwel ħdejn il-qabar, daħal hu wkoll, ra, u emmen.  Sa dak in-nhar kienu għadhom ma  fehmux l-Iskrittura li kienet tgħid li kellu jqum mill-imwiet. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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Thoughts for Easter Sunday by Julian Paparella, team member of Fr Thomas Rosica’s “Salt & Light TV” editorial group

Jesus’ Resurrection: A Footprint Within History but Pointing Beyond 

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI writes about “The Nature of Jesus’ Resurrection and Its Historical Significance” in “Jesus of Nazareth – Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection” (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, USA, 2011). I would like to highlight several points made by Pope Emeritus Benedict in this masterful text:   “Jesus did not simply return to normal biological life as one who, by the laws of biology, would eventually have to die again.

“Jesus is not a ghost (“spirit”). In other words, he does not belong to the realm of the dead but is somehow able to reveal himself in the realm of the living. […]  The encounters with the risen Lord are not the same as mystical experiences, in which the human spirit is momentarily drawn aloft out of itself and perceives the realm of the divine and eternal, only to return then to the normal horizon of its existence. Mystical experience is a temporary removal of the soul’s spatial and cognitive limitations.” (pp. 272-273)

Benedict continues:    [The Resurrection] “is a historical event that nevertheless bursts open the dimensions of history and transcends it. Perhaps we may draw upon analogical language here, inadequate in many ways, yet still able to open up a path toward understanding: as already anticipated in the first section of this chapter, we could regard the Resurrection as something akin to a radical “evolutionary leap,” in which a new dimension of life emerges, a new dimension of human existence. (p. 273)  As something that breaks out of history and transcends it, the Resurrection nevertheless has its origin within history and up to a certain point still belongs there. Perhaps we could put it this way: Jesus’ Resurrection points beyond history but has left a footprint within history. Therefore it can be attested by witnesses as an event of an entirely new kind.” (p. 275)

Fathoming the Resurrection Today

In our highly technological world, the reality of the Resurrection becomes increasingly difficult to fathom. So many spend their lives explaining it away rather than probing the depths of its mystery. And they try to do this alone, separated from a believing community of Christians, locked in the prison of self and of ideas, frozen before a computer screen as they try to fathom what happened on Easter morning. Some people state quite frankly that the whole story is simply out of date. But Resurrection is not a matter of the head, of theory and ideas, but a matter of the heart that can only be experienced and learned through a community’s worship and liturgy. To be fully experienced and grasped, the Resurrection requires an environment of hauntingly beautiful music, of smoke and incense, bread and wine, murmurs of greeting and shouts of joy, dazzling colours, and most of all: three-dimensional bodies of real people, even those who aren’t necessarily “regulars” of our parish communities, who gather together every year to hear the Easter proclamation.

One doesn’t sit at a computer and tap out “Jesus is Risen.” It has to be performed and enacted. If the Resurrection were meant to be a historically verifiable occurrence, God wouldn't have performed it in the dark without eyewitnesses. Resurrection was an event transacted between God the Father and God the Son by the power of God the Holy Spirit. Not a single Gospel tells us how it happened. We don’t know what he looked like when he was no longer dead, whether he burst the tomb in glory or came out like Lazarus, slowly unwrapping his shroud and squinting with wonder against the dawn of Easter morning in a garden in Jerusalem. 

The proper environment for Resurrection

 How shall we find words for the Resurrection? How can we give expression to the conquest of death and the harrowing of hell and the washing which has joined us to God’s life? There are no words – there are only the wrong words – metaphors, chains of images, verbal icons – that invite us into a mystery beyond words.

For four years I lived in the Holy City of Jerusalem and visited hundreds of times the remains of the Church building that houses the place of Calvary and the Holy Sepulchre. It is truly holy ground for Christians and being there never failed once to move me. That old building is truly a microcosm of our own lives, our hearts, and our Church. In the midst of the dark, dirty, and chaotic Holy Sepulchre Basilica is the tomb of Jesus: a shrine to the Risen Christ. But he is not there. All around the tomb are the remnants of 2000 years of dreadfully human corruption. Nevertheless it is the most important shrine and holy place for Christians. Christ is risen from the dead!

At Calvary, and elsewhere in the Holy Land, corruption seems so rampant – but God shall be victorious, because 70 feet away from Calvary there is a tomb which is empty. And there is also another startling truth about that Church and the moments that it commemorates: every single one of us has within us a shrine to the Risen Christ. That shrine is our first love for him, and him alone. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Do we truly live as children of the light, of the Living One? The Resurrection of Jesus is the sign that God is ultimately going to win.

In the midst of all the chaos found in the building of the Holy Sepulchre, I found that if I knelt long enough in some corner of the Church amidst religious groups seemingly at war with each other, disquiet disappeared and I often experienced a strange peace and deep joy and consolation because of the Resurrection of the man who was God’s Son and our Saviour. The only way to discern, detect, and discover the presence of the Risen Lord is on one’s knees, in the midst of the chaos of the Church and the world.

Jesus’ victory over death belongs to the Church’s ongoing pastoral and sacramental life and its mission to the world. The Church is the community of those who have the competence to recognize Jesus as the Risen Lord. It specializes in discerning the Risen One. As long as we remain in dialogue with Jesus, our darkness will give way to dawn, and we will become “competent” for witness. In an age that places so much weight on competency, we would do well to focus every now and then on our competence to discern Resurrection.

What is the Resurrection? Pope Emeritus Benedict explains with such clarity in his book “Jesus of Nazareth – Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection”:   It is part of the mystery of God that he acts so gently, that he only gradually builds up his history within the great history of mankind; that he becomes man and so can be overlooked by his contemporaries and by the decisive forces within history; that he suffers and dies and that, having risen again, he chooses to come to mankind only through the faith of the disciples to whom he reveals himself; that he continues to knock gently at the doors of our hearts and slowly opens our eyes if we open our doors to him. And yet – is not this the truly divine way? Not to overwhelm with external power, but to give freedom, to offer and elicit love. And if we really think about it, is it not what seems so small that is truly great? (p. 276)

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