31 MARCH – EASTER SUNDAY – THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD

Forth to the paschal Victim, Christians bring your sacrifice of praise:

The Lamb redeems the sheep; and Christ, the sinless One has to the Father sinners reconciled.

Together Death and Life in a strange conflict strove; the Prince of Life, who died, now lives and reigns.

 What you saw, Mary, say, as you went on the way.

I saw the tomb wherein the Living One had lain; I saw his glory as he rose again;

Napkins and linen cloths, and Angels twain:

Yea, Christ is risen, my hope, and He will go before you into Galilee.

We know that Christ indeed has risen from the grave:

Hail, you King of Victory! Have mercy, Lord, and save. Amen. Alleluia!

 

Epistle – 1 Corinthians v. 7‒8

Brethren, purge, out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened: for Christ our Pasch is sacrificed. Therefore let us feast, not with the old leaven, nor with (the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Thanks be to God.

Dom Prosper Gueranger:

God commanded the Israelites to use unleavened bread when they ate the Paschal Lamb, thereby teaching them that before partaking of this mysterious food they should abandon their sins which are signified by leaven. We Christians, who are called to the New Life which Jesus has created for us by His Resurrection must henceforth be intent on good works as the unleavened bread with which we must receive the Paschal Lamb, our Easter banquet.

Gospel – Mark xvi. 1‒7

At that time, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought sweet spices, that, coming, they might anoint Jesus. And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came to the sepulchre, the sun being now risen: and they said one to another, “Who will roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” And looking, they saw the stone rolled back, for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe, and they were astonished: who said to them, “Be not afraid; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified; He is risen, He is not here; behold the place where they laid Him: but go, tell his disciples, and Peter, that He goes before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told you.”

Praise be to you, O Christ.

Dom Prosper Gueranger:

“He is risen: He is not here!” The corpse laid by the hands of them that loved their Lord on the slab that lies in that cave is risen, and without removing the stone that closed the entrance, has gone forth quickened with a life which can never die. No man has helped Him. No Prophet has stood over the dead body, bidding it return to life. It is Jesus Himself, and by His own power, that has risen. He suffered death, not from necessity, but because He so willed and, again, because He willed, He has delivered Himself from its bondage.

Jesus, you who that thus mocks death, are the Lord our God! We reverently bend our knee before this empty tomb which is now forever sacred because, for a few hours, it was the place of your abode. Behold the place where they laid Him! Behold the winding-sheet and bands which remain to tell the mystery of your having once been dead!

The Angel says to the women: “You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified!” The recollection makes us weep. Yes, it was but the day before yesterday that His body was carried here mangled, wounded, bleeding. Here, in this cave from which the Angel has now rolled back the stone — in this cave which his presence fills with a more than midday brightness — stood the afflicted Mother. It echoed with the sobs of them that were at the burial: John and the two disciples, Magdalene and her companions. The sun sank beneath the horizon and the first day of Jesus’ burial began. But the Prophet had said: “In the evening, weeping will have place; and in the morning, gladness.”

This glorious, happy morning has come, Jesus, and great indeed is our gladness at seeing that this same sepulchre, to which we followed you with aching hearts, is now but the trophy of your victory! Your precious wounds are healed! It was we that caused them. Permit us to kiss them. You are now living, more glorious than ever, and immortal. And because we resolved to die to our sins when you were dying in order to expiate them, you will that we too should live eternally with you, that your victory over death should be ours, that death should be for us, as it was for you, a mere passing to immortality, and should, one day, give back, uninjured and glorified, these bodies which are to be lent, for a while, to the tomb. Glory, then, and honour, and love, be to you, Jesus, who deigned not only to die, but to rise again, for us.