 Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Reflection.
On
Easter Sunday, the Church is recollected in contemplation of the risen Christ.
Thus she relives the primordial experience that lies at the basis of her
existence. She feels imbued with the same wonder as Mary Magdalen and the other
women who went to Christ's tomb on Easter morning and found it empty.
That tomb
became the womb of life. Whoever had condemned Jesus, deceived himself that he
had buried his cause under an ice-cold tombstone. The disciples themselves gave
into the feeling of irreparable failure. We understand their surprise, then, and
even their distrust in the news of the empty tomb. But the Risen One did not
delay in making himself seen and they yielded to reality. They saw and believed!
Two thousand years later, we still sense the unspeakable emotion that overcame
them when they heard the Master's greeting: "Peace be with
you.'"....
...Christ's Resurrection is the strength, the secret of
Christianity. It is not a question of mythology or of mere symbolism, but of a
concrete event. It is confirmed by sure and convincing proofs. The acceptance of
this truth, although the fruit of the Holy Spirit's grace, rests at the same
time on a solid historical base. On the threshold of the third millennium, the
new effort of evangelization can begin only from a renewed experience of this
Mystery, accepted in faith and witnessed to in life.... Pope
John Paul II
Fact Mass is to be celebrated
on Easter Day with great solemnity. It is appropriate that the penitential rite
on this day take the form of a sprinkling with water blessed at the Vigil,
during which the antiphon Vidi aquam, or some other song of baptismal character
should be sung. The fonts at the entrance to the church should also be filled
with the same water. The tradition of celebrating baptismal Vespers on Easter
Day with the singing of psalms during the procession to the font should be
maintained where it is still in force, and appropriately, restored. The paschal
candle has its proper place either by the ambo or by the altar and should be lit
at least in all the more solemn liturgical celebrations of the season until
Pentecost Sunday, whether at Mass, or at Morning and Evening Prayer. After the
Easter season the candle should be kept with honor in the baptistry, so that in
the celebration of Baptism the candles of the baptized may be lit from them. In
the celebration of funerals, the paschal candle should be place near the coffin
to indicate that the death of a Christian is his own passover. The paschal
candle should not otherwise be lit nor placed in the sanctuary outside the
Easter season.
Prayer
God our Father, creator of all, today is the day of Easter
joy. This is the morning on which the Lord appeared ot men who had begun to lose
their hope and opened their eyes to what the scriptures foretold: that first he
must die, and then he would rise and ascend into his Father's glorious presence.
May the risen Lord breathe on our minds and open our eyes that we may know him
in the breaking of bread, and follow him in his risen life. Grant this through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
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