He is Risen!

 Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019

The Resurrection of the Lord
Lectionary: 42 

The Mass of Easter Day

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

Quddiesa tal-Jum

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   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." 

Qari I       mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-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 kien xandar il-magħmudija; tafu kif Alla kkonsagra lil Ġesù ta’ Nazaret bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u bil-qawwa, u kif dan Ġesù għadda jagħmel il-ġid u jfejjaq lil 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-għuda tas-salib; imma Alla qajmu mill-imwiet fit-tielet jum u għamel li hu jidher, mhux lil kulħadd, imma lix-xhieda li Alla għażel minn qabel, lilna, li miegħu kilna u xrobna wara l-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 bis-saħħa ta’ ismu”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

 Responsorial Psalm         Ps 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. 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. 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. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. Alleluia.

Salm Responsorjali       Salm 117 (118), 1-2.16ab-17. 22-23

R/. (24): Dan hu l-jum li għamel il-Mulej; ħa nifirħu u nithennew fih. Hallelujah

Faħħru lill-Mulej, għaliex hu tajjeb,

għax għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu!

Ħa jgħidu wlied Iżrael:

“Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu”. R/.

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/.

Il-ġebla li warrbu l-bennejja

saret il-ġebla tax-xewka.

Bis-saħħa tal-Mulej seħħ dan:

ħaġa tal-għaġeb f’għajnejna. R/. 

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.

Or

I 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 nleavened.
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.

Qari II       mill-Ittra lill-Kolossin Kol 3, 1-4

Ħuti, jekk intom irxuxtajtu ma’ Kristu, fittxu l-ħwejjeġ tas-sema, fejn Kristu qiegħed fuq il-lemin ta’ Alla. Aħsbu fil-ħwejjeġ tas-sema, mhux f’dawk tal-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 II      Qari mill-Ewwel Ittra 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 (victimae 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-nagħaġ tiegħu

mill-jasar tal-mewt;

Ġesù raġa’ 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, il-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.

Ammen! 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.

Evanġelju       Qari skont San Ġwann 20, 1-9

Kien l-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, filgħodu kmieni kif kien għadu d-dlam, u Marija 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 lill-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 dakinhar kienu għadhom ma fehmux l-Iskrittura li tgħid li kellu jqum mill-imwiet. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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“The Lord Is Risen and Was Seen Alive”

Here is a translation of a commentary by the Pontifical Household preacher, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, on the readings for Easter Sunday’s liturgy.
* * *
There are men — we see this in the phenomenon of suicide bombers — who die for a misguided or even evil cause, mistakenly retaining, but in good faith, that the cause is a worthy one. Even Christ’s death does not testify to the truth of his cause, but only the fact that he believed in its truth. Christ’s death is the supreme witness of his charity, but not of his truth. This truth is adequately testified to only by the Resurrection. “The faith of Christians,” says St. Augustine, “is the resurrection of Christ. It is no great thing to believe that Jesus died; even the pagans believe this, everyone believes it. The truly great thing is to believe that he is risen.”

Keeping to the purpose that has guided us up to this point, we must leave faith aside for the moment and attend to history. We would like to try to respond to the following question: Can Christ’s resurrection be defined as a historical event, in the common sense of the term, that is, did it “really happen”?

There are two facts that offer themselves for the historian’s consideration and permit him to speak of the Resurrection: First, the sudden and inexplicable faith of the disciples, a faith so tenacious as to withstand even the trial of martyrdom; second, the explanation of this faith that has been left by those who had it, that is, the disciples. In the decisive moment, when Jesus was captured and executed, the disciples did not entertain any thoughts about the resurrection. They fled and took Jesus’ case to be closed.

In the meantime something had to intervene that in a short time not only provoked a radical change of their state of soul, but that led them to an entirely different activity and to the founding of the Church. This “something” is the historical nucleus of Easter faith. The oldest testimony to the Resurrection is Paul’s: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: That Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again according to the Scriptures; and that he was seen by Cephas, and after that by the eleven.

“Then he was seen by more than 500 brethren at once, of whom many are still with us and some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles. And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

These words were written around A.D. 56 or 57. But the core of the text is constituted by an anterior faith that Paul himself says he received from others. Keeping in mind that Paul learned of these things immediately after his conversion, we can date them to about A.D. 35, that is, five or six years after the death of Christ. It is thus a testimony of rare historical value.

The accounts of the Evangelists were written some decades later and reflect a later phase in the Church’s reflection. But the core of the testimony remains unchanged: The Lord is risen and was seen alive. To this a new element is added, perhaps determined by an apologetic preoccupation, and so of minor historical value: The insistence on the fact of the empty tomb. Even for the Gospels, the appearances of the Risen Christ are the decisive facts.

The appearances, nevertheless, testify to a new dimension of the Risen Christ, his mode of being “according to the Spirit,” which is new and different with respect to his previous mode of existing, “according to the flesh.” For example, he cannot be recognized by whoever sees him, but only by those to whom he gives the ability to know him. His corporeality is different from what it was before. It is free from physical laws: It enters and exits through closed doors; it appears and disappears.
According to a different explanation of the Resurrection, one advanced by Rudolf Bultmann and still proposed today, what we have here are psychogenetic visions, that is, subjective phenomena similar to hallucinations. But this, if it were true, would constitute in the end a greater miracle than the one that such explanations wish to deny. It supposes that in fact different people, in different situations and locations, had the same impression, the same halucination.

The disciples could not have deceived themselves: They were specific people — fishermen — not at all given to visions. They did not believe the first ones; Jesus almost has to overpower their resistance: “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe!” They could not even want to deceive others. All of their interests opposed this; they would have been the first to feel themselves deceived by Jesus. If he were not risen, to what purpose would it have been to face persecution and death for him? What material benefit would they have drawn from it?

If the historical character of the Resurrection — that is, its objective, and not only subjective, character — is denied, the birth of the Church and of the faith become an even more inexplicable mystery than the Resurrection itself. It has been justly observed that “the idea that the imposing edifice of the history of Christianity is like an enormous pyramid balanced upon an insignificant fact is certainly less credible than the assertion that the entire event — and that also means the most significant fact within this — really did occupy a place in history comparable to the one that the New Testament attributes to it.”

Where does the historical research on the Resurrection arrive? We can see it in the words of the disciples of Emmaus: Some disciples went to Jesus’ tomb Easter morning and they found that things were as the women had said who had gone their before them, “but they did not see him.” History too must take itself to Jesus’ tomb and see that things are as the witnesses have said. But it does not see the Risen One. It is not enough to observe matters historically. It is necessary to see the Risen Christ, and this is something history cannot do; only faith can.

The angel who appeared to the women Easter morning said to them: “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5). I must confess that at the end of these reflections I feel that this rebuke is also directed at me. It is as if the angel were to say to me: “Why do you waste time seeking among dead human and historical arguments, the one who is alive and at work in the Church and in the world? Go instead and tell his brothers that he is risen.”

If it were up to me, that is the only thing I would do. I quit teaching the history of Christian origins 30 years ago to dedicate myself to proclaming the Kingdom of God, but now when I am faced with radical and unfounded denials of the truth of the Gospels, I have felt obliged to take up the tools of my trade again.

This is why I have decided to use these commentaries on the Sunday Gospels to oppose a tendency often motivated by commercial interests and help those who may read my observations to form an opinion about Jesus that is less influenced by the clamour of the advertising world.

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