This Is the Day the Lord Has Made
First Reading
“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.”
Responsorial Psalm
R. (24) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. 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.
or:
R. 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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Second Reading
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.
Sequence
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.
Gospel Reading
Verse before the Gospel
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed;
let us then feast with joy in the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.
Catechesis At Home – This is the Day the Lord Has Made
Easter Sunday, the Resurrection of the Lord – Year B
The Psalmist proclaims: “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!” (Psalm 118:24) Are you glad it’s Easter? Are you glad it’s Springtime? Are you glad for your life, health, family and friends? Are you glad we are beginning to see an end to the COVID pandemic?
This Easter season, we have much to rejoice about. But, the singular thing we should rejoice about each and every day is the Salvation that we celebrate on Easter – the Resurrection! Jesus died for us and for our salvation, He took our sins and offered Himself as the sacrifice. In Him our sins are forgiven. But that is not the end of the story! St. Peter in today’s first reading tells the amazing Good News: “This man God raised on the third day…. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43) And St. Paul continues, “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.” (Col. 3:2-4)
The Apostles were perplexed at the empty tomb, they did not yet understand that Jesus had to rise from the dead to accomplish the mission. (Jn. 20:9) When He proclaimed from the cross, “It is finished”, they really thought that was the end. Then, on the third day, the tomb was empty, He appeared to them and they did not recognize Him because He was transformed through death and resurrection! We also will be transformed, if we believe in Him and follow Him and proclaim with the Apostles the Good News. Today is our chance to continue the mission of Jesus and His Apostles. As baptized Christians, we are included in the mission. Let’s do it!
This is truly the day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad!
DISCUSSION
In what ways are you rejoicing today? In what areas of your life or people in your life do you find joy? How can you share your joy with others?
Those things you committed to last week should be on the list. When we give Jesus our best it fills us with joy. So, how are those things going? Do a little check up on that commitment. If you set goals in January, now is a great time to reassess and look at your progress, make changes or set new ones!
ACTIVITY
Easter is a season of 50 days. Plan how your family will celebrate this 50-day long feast…to rejoice each day the Lord has made. You can keep your Easter decorations up until Pentecost, or you can have a Resurrection Tree (every time someone does a good thing or has a prayer or praise or thanksgiving, place an ornament or flower on the tree), or do a service project together as a family, or plant a garden together. In some way, continue the celebration of Easter Sunday throughout the season. There is a reason Easter lasts longer than Lent!
EASTER EXTRAS
Visit our EASTER RESOURCES Page for activities and a basket full of Easter opportunities for Family Faith Formation! Easter Story Cookies – A recipe and story in one! Help your children learn the story as you make special cookies that resemble the empty tomb! Resurrection Rolls – Yummy, easy, fun Easter morning breakfast with a message! And an Easter Coloring Book
Here’s our short video lesson on “Joy” from our “Spirit In Life: Fruits of the Spirit” video series.
Joy Podcast
Here is the link to the Joy episode of our Podcast On the Road to Perfection.
How can you and your family rejoice in this Easter season and share that joy with others?
Other Help on HOO
Marriage Preparation – Episode 40
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:30 — 55.5MB)
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People we know get divorced all the time, but why? Most likely, it comes down to whether they should have been married in the first place. How do you find out? You prepare for marriage purposefully. In this episode of On the Road to Perfection, Mama and Daddy discuss this crucial part in discerning a very difficult but rewarding vocation. Whether you have been married for five years, fifty years, just engaged, or are never getting married, this episode is both enriching and entertaining. Mama and Daddy have been on both ends of marriage preparation, and are glad to share their wisdom on this thing that leads to happier, healthier, and truer marriages!
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