19–20 April 2025 – Easter Sunday
 
Resurrection and Witness
 
Happy Easter! Felices Pascuas! 
Χριστός ἀνέστη! – Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη!
 
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
 
Easter Sunday is the most important day of the Liturgical Year, as the Church throughout the world celebrates the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Dead. The Word of God took on human flesh (John 1:14), was born of the Virgin Mary, was Baptized in the Jordan River by John, called the Twelve to be his Apostles, embarked on his public ministry around Galilee, and journeyed to Jerusalem to Suffer, to Die, and to Rise from the Dead – for the sake of the salvation of Humanity and the Re-Creation of the World. 
 
The Lord Jesus – as the Second Adam – fulfilled the promise of his Father to the First Adam: “You are dust, and unto dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19) when he suffered unto Death upon the Cross. However, being also Divine, the Lord Jesus was able to destroy Death forever by conquering Death itself because he himself – being the Word of the Father – is the Author of Life. He who assisted in the original Creation of the World now participates and assists in the World’s Re-Creation and Redemption after Sin entered into it.
 
As St. Paul says, “If Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14) The basis of all Christian life, all Christian faith, and all Christian hope is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead. As Baptized Christians, we are all called to witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – not just as a point of belief or as a line we recite from the Creed – but in our very actions, words, and deeds. We have been Baptized into Christ’s Death and Resurrection: our sins have been forgiven, our tendency towards falling back into sin has been weakened, and God’s Grace abides in us. God dwells with us. Therefore let us be mindful of the ways in which we spend our time. The first option of the 2^ndReading for Easter Sunday – from Paul’s Letter to the Colossians – encourages us to “look up” as Sons and Daughters of the Lord’s Resurrection: “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.” (Colossians 3:1-3). Our eyes should be fixed on the Lord, that is, upwards or heavenwards, rather than on earthly things and on mundane things that will pass away.
 
The second option for the 2^nd Reading encapsulates the Church’s celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord: “For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast!” (1 Corinthians 5:7b-8a). We celebrate the Great Sacrifice of the Lamb of God each Sunday when we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Lamb who was Slain, dies no more. (Cf. Revelation 5:9) The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, is Sacramentally present to us – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – in the Eucharist we celebrate and as we receive our Lord in Holy Communion. It is the Lord Jesus – Risen from the Dead – Resurrected Lord that we celebrate every time we come to Mass.
 
May we not be saddened today, for the Joy of the Lord is our strength! (Cf. Nehemiah 8:10)
 
Fr Earthman