Easter Sunday and the Octave of Easter

March is the month dedicated to Saint Joseph

April is the month dedicated to the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Spirit

Readings for the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week: Ch 49 The Observance of Lent - Ch 54 Letters or Gifts for Monks

The stone which the builders rejected.

JOSEPH, GUARDIAN OF THE REDEEMER,

MOTHER OF OUR SAVIOR,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

SPIRIT OF LOVE AND TRUTH,

JESUS, BREAD OF LIFE,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised.

(Mark 16:6)

Christians to the Paschal Victim

Offer your thankful praises! ...

The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.

(Victimae paschali laudes)

Welcome to Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, especially to the newly baptized and confirmed. Together, all members of Christ, let us remain faithful to the Church all the days of our lives. And as members of the Body, we have been raised with Christ, so we seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (see Col 3:1). Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

It's pretty difficult, what with all the Word proclaimed last night at the Easter Vigil, and today on Easter Sunday, to choose a favorite text. Every time I hear the Word proclaimed, or read something in my missal, that particular text becomes my favorite. And so, let us just rejoice in it all, and not draw back, and if we are not already going about it, get busy and announce the Good News: The Lord is truly risen, alleluia. To Him be glory and power for all the ages of eternity, alleluia, alleluia. Live in newness of life (see Roman 6:4); live for God in Christ Jesus (see Romans 6:11)! Alleluia! 

... we ought all rejoice on this holy day. Let no one draw back from the common celebration because of his awareness of sin. Let not one stand off from the public acts of worship because of his burden of crimes. Although one may be a sinner, on this day he ought not to despair of pardon. This is no small privilege. If even the thief merited paradise, why should not the Christian merit pardon? And if the Lord, when He is crucified, has mercy on the former, will He not all the more have mercy on the latter when He rises?

(From a sermon by Saint Maximus of Turin, 380-465)

SAINT CEALLACH,

SAINT MARY OF EGYPT,

SAINT FRANCIS OF PAOLA,

SAINT IRENE OF ROME,

SAINT JOHN PAYNE,

BLESSED PEDRO CALUNGSOD,

SAINT ISIDORE OF SEVILLE,

SAINT LEANDER,

SAINT BENEDICT "THE BLACK",

SAINT VINCENT FERRER,

BLESSED PIERINA MOROSINI,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Image of Icon of the Resurrection, through the hand of Sister Suzanne, ocso. Has become the cornerstone.

© Gertrude Feick 2024

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

In other years: Saint Donan (7th century); Blessed Baptist Spagnoli Mantau (1447-1516); Blessed Clara Gambacorta OP (1362-1419); Blessed Maria Mancini OP (-1431) 

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 62 The Priests of the Monastery

Mass: Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Resp Ps 118; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Sequence Victimae paschali laudes; Jn 20:1-9

The right hand of the Lord has struck with power.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

ALLEULIA! ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!

HE IS RISEN!

ALLELUIA!

Happy Easter dear friends and faithful readers near and far. Thank you for being there. United in faith and prayer, we seek the living God and pray especially for all those received into the Church last night at the Easter Vigil. God is praised. We see and we believe that "we were indeed buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life" (Rm 6:4).

Every time in your ordinary life that God calls you to die to something, and in that act to rise again to new life beyond death, it is a practice run for the final return home and the ultimate resurrection. You may be asked to die to your own hopes and plans, to your cherished self-image, to your for-a-while-successful work, to something which is holding you back from God. Each time you let go and say 'Yes', you are obeying the Spirit's call to life beyond death. You are consenting to be a son or daughter of God. Every time you choose to act in real freedom, in love, forgiveness, humility, truth and self-forgetting generosity, you are accepting your dignity as the beloved adopted heir.

(M. Boulding, Gateway to Resurrection, p. 130)

We go forth then, raised with Christ and seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. We think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For we have died and our life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ our life appears, then we too will appear with Him in glory (Col 3:1-4).

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

(Ps 118)

SAINT DONAN,

BLESSED BAPTIST SPAGNOLI MANTUA,

BLESSED CLARA GAMBORTA,

BLESSED MARIA MANCINI,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's image: Icon of the Resurrection, through the hand of Sister Suzanne, ocso.

© Gertrude Feick 2022