Easter Sunday
Summary
We gather before dawn to light the Easter Fire from which the Paschal Candle is lit. This is carried into the dark church, a sign of Christ, our light guiding us into the new life of the resurrection. We hear Peter proclaiming the resurrection in Acts 10: 34-43 and how, through his death and resurrection, Christ has ushered in a new way of life in which there is “no partiality” but embraces all who come to him. In the gospel, Luke 24:1-12, we see how this new life is hard to comprehend: the first witnesses of the resurrection experience bewilderment, terror, disbelief and amazement. The power of the resurrection is felt when the community begins to live a resurrected life together, focused not on that which is life-denying but that which is life-affirming. Christ’s resurrection is the beginning of our resurrection. In our Festival Mass at 10.30 we all renew our baptismal vows, remembering that we too are made one with Christ in his death and resurrection and that we too are sent to bring that risen life to others.
FIRST READING
Acts 10:34-43
Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every people anyone who fears him and practices righteousness is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
GOSPEL
Luke 24:1-12
on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
