2024-Mar-31: Easter Sunday

Acts 10:34-43

The book of Acts is an epic tale of how a small group of Jesus followers develops into “the church.” In a book that describes miracle after miracle and takes its readers on adventure after adventure, it is in these few verses that Peter declares the complete gospel. Jesus of Nazareth was anointed and chosen by God. He received the Holy Spirit and with its power he goes around doing good and healing those who were oppressed. He was put to death, dying on a tree. God raised him on the third day and he appeared to a chosen few. Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins. The good news or gospel is simple: it is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 

But it is the context of this declaration that is important. Peter begins his homily by saying: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to God.” If we read this declaration within the context of Acts 10, it becomes evident that Peter needed to be reminded that God does not play favourites. A man in Caesarea named Cornelius, an Italian centurion is described as devout and God-fearing (10:1-2). Based on a vision that he has received from the Lord, Cornelius summons Peter. Meanwhile, Peter was receiving a vision of his own concerning what he could and could not lawfully eat (10:9-16). Peter arrives at Cornelius’ home and informs him: “You yourself know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with or to visit an allophylo (a foreigner) but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean” (10:28). Although this is often translated as Gentile; the word is best understood as stranger or foreigner or someone from another race.

Source: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/resurrection-of-our-lord-3/commentary-on-acts-1034-43-16

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

Psalm 118 concludes a run of psalms (Psalms 113-118) known as the Egyptian Hallel (Hallel, after the word hallelujah, “Praise the Lord” that appears prominently in these psalms and helps tie them together). These psalms were central to the Passover liturgy. Jewish tradition holds that the Israelites recited the words of the Hallel when they came out of Egypt (b. Pesahim 117a). These psalms used in present-day Jewish life at the Passover meal on the eighth day of that annual spring celebration. Psalms 113 and 114 are recited before the meal. Psalms 115-118 are recited at the conclusion of the meal while drinking the fourth cup of celebratory wine

Psalm 118 is a song of victory. Jesus embodies this psalm of victory with his triumphal entry (118:19-20, 26). Other New Testament writers describe all of salvation with a glance at this psalm—the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone (118:22). 

The structure of Psalm 118 may be outlined as follows:

Verses 1-4:       Call to Worship

Verses 5-18:     Voice of the Individual

Verses 19-28:    Mingled Voices of the Individual and the Worshiping Community

Verse 29:         Conclusion

Source: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/resurrection-of-our-lord-3/commentary-on-psalm-1181-2-14-24-11 and https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/resurrection-of-our-lord-2/commentary-on-psalm-1181-2-14-24-9

Victimae paschali laudes (also known as the “Easter Sequence”)

This is an ancient expression of the Church’s worship during the Easter Octave (i.e., eight-day feast). Victimae paschali laudes is an obligatory element of the Easter Sunday Mass since its composition in the eleventh century. It is typically rendered as a Gregorian chant

Original Latin Text

Victimae paschali laudes immolent Christiani.

Agnus redemit oves: Christus innocens Patri reconciliavit peccatores.

Mors et vita duello conflixere mirando: dux vitae mortuus, regnat vivus.

Dic nobis Maria, quid vidisti in via?

Sepulcrum Christi viventis, et gloriam vidi resurgentis

Angelicos testes, sudarium, et vestes.

Surrexit Christus spes mea: praecedet vos in Galilaeam.

Scimus Christum surrexisse

a mortuis vere:

tu nobis, victor Rex, miserere.

Amen. Alleluia

English translation:

Christians, to the Paschal Victim offer sacrifice and praise.

The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb; and Christ, the undefiled,

hath sinners to his Father reconciled.

Death with life contended: combat strangely ended!

Life's own Champion, slain,

yet lives to reign.

Tell us, Mary: say

what thou didst see upon the way.

The tomb the Living did enclose; I saw Christ's glory as He rose!

The angels there attesting;

shroud with grave-clothes resting.

Christ, my hope, has risen:

He goes before you into Galilee.

That Christ is truly risen

from the dead we know. Victorious King, Thy mercy show!

Amen. Alleluia

Source: https://stlouise.org/documents/2020/4/Victimae%20paschali%20laudes.pdf

Luke 24:1-9

Darkness is not merely a time of day; it can also be the absence of light. And the absence of light would mean those times in our life when we feel that God is not present. While it is still dark echoes the reality of the chaos of creation (Genesis 1:2). On Easter, the God who spoke light into existence has raised to life the one described as the light of the world. 

In subsequent verses 11-21 we hear that Mary Magdalene, the first to the tomb is a woman, and this is no coincidence. She is the Apostle to the Apostles carrying the good news that Jesus is resurrected. Therefore she provides a powerful reminder that this testimony was started by a woman. The Johannine Jesus is not presented as seeking to modify the feminine role prevalent within Judaism; rather, Jesus seems to ignore it altogether as he calls women to public ministry and affirms them in the face of male opposition.

Source: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/resurrection-of-our-lord-3/commentary-on-john-201-18-10