Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 32 : 4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22
For upright is the Lord’s word and worthy of trust is His work. The Lord loves justice and righteousness; the earth is full of His kindness.
But the Lord’s eyes are upon those who fear Him, upon those who trust in His loving-kindness to deliver them from death and preserve them from famine.
In hope we wait for the Lord for He is our help and our shield. O Lord, let Your love rest upon us, even as our hope rests in You.
Liturgical Colour : White
Acts 2 : 36-41
Peter said, “Let Israel then know for sure that God has made Lord and Christ this Jesus Whom you crucified.” When they heard this, they were deeply troubled. And they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What shall we do, brothers?”
Peter answered : “Each of you must repent and be baptised in the Name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise of God was made to you and your children, and to all those from afar whom our God may call.”
With many other words Peter gave the message and appealed to them saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who accepted his word were baptised; some three thousand persons were added to their numbers that day.
Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we continue with the glorious celebration of Easter, we are all reminded of the truth of the Lord’s Resurrection which He has shown to all of His Apostles and disciples who have witnessed all the events and things that happened at that time, when the Lord Who have died on the Cross and was buried, rose in glory, appearing in all of His Risen wonder and brilliance, having conquered and sin and death, proving to every one of us that sin and death do not have the final say over us. He has triumphed through His Holy Cross, and what was known as the symbol of the ultimate punishment and humiliation has become the instrument of salvation and liberation for all mankind, and also the sign of ultimate Hope and Victory, which He has brought unto us, and we have received the assurance of this triumph and victory.
In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles in which St. Peter the Apostle stood firmly before all the people assembled in Jerusalem during the time of the Festival of the Pentecost, when many people came to Jerusalem from all over the Jewish diaspora, together with many other visitors, all of whom were astonished at the great wisdom and courage showed by the Apostles and the other disciples, who have received the Holy Spirit descending upon them, giving them the strength and the wisdom to speak out their minds, with the Divine guidance and providence, proclaiming everything that they themselves had witnessed about the Risen Lord, the glorious Resurrection of the Saviour, as well as everything that He had done in this world, His mission and how He has called on all the whole world to follow Him.
That was how St. Peter the Apostle spoke with such great fire in him, proclaiming all that the Lord had done in reaching out to His beloved people, in gathering all of them once again from being scattered all over the whole world, only for Him to face opposition, ridicule, rejection and stubborn refusal by so many who refused to listen to Him, or to believe in His truth and wisdom, in all that He has done and shown to them. St. Peter spoke courageously amidst the people about the suffering, all the things that this Saviour has suffered and endured during His Passion, the moment when He had to face a lot of hardships, trials, humiliations, and ultimately faced the punishment for the sins and mistakes which He Himself had not committed, but which He willingly took upon Himself, so that by His loving and most selfless sacrifice and offering of Himself, He has become the source of our salvation and redemption.
God has sent His Son to us all, so that by His coming into this world, and by everything that He has done, in obeying His Father’s will and in offering His most perfect and worthy offering, His actions had broken us all free from the prison of sin, evil and death. No longer that sin and death have any more power over us, although they can still harm us if we choose to stay away from God and reject His love. His glorious Resurrection is like a great Light that illuminates our path in the darkness of this world, piercing through the veil that sin has placed before us, that now we all can see the truth and the salvation which God has been promising us, and we have this Hope placed in us, knowing that if we remain true and faithful to Him, then in the end, we shall share in His glory and triumph, and enter into the eternal and glorious inheritance promised to us.
In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the account in the Gospel of St. Matthew of the appearance of the Lord Jesus after His Resurrection to some of His followers, the women of the group, whom He told that they should tell His other disciples to find Him in Galilee just as He Himself has told them. We then also heard how the opponents of the Lord made many efforts to try to stop the truth about the Lord’s Resurrection and His disappeared Body which had made quite a ruckus among the people, even to the point of making bribes and false, made-up stories about what happened, in order to try to sway the populace to belief in their version of the story, saying that the disciples of the Lord had stolen His Body, while the truth was that the Lord has indeed risen gloriously from the dead. They tried in vain to stop the truth from spreading, even so far as to persecute the Lord’s disciples and ordering them not to proclaim the Resurrection, to no avail.
That was because the disciples of the Lord themselves had seen the Risen Lord, experienced His Presence and everything that He has done and spoken to them, and through the courage and strength that God had provided to them, He has helped all of them to remain true and strong in their faith, and in their commitment to walk the path that He has called all of them to follow. The Risen Lord has commissioned them all to go forth and proclaim the Good News to all the whole world, to all the people who have been called to His love and compassion, to spread to them more of the truth about everything, and this same mission has also been entrusted to us all as members and parts of God’s Church. It is important that each and every one of us as Christians realise this calling and the mission which we have been entrusted with so that we can do our best to fulfil everything that we are all supposed to do.
As Christians, this Easter time and season is a reminder for all of us to go forth and be active in doing what God had called us to do, to be His worthy disciples and great role models, inspirations and strength for everyone around us so that by our every actions, words and deeds, by everything that we say and do, in every moments and opportunities, even in the smallest things, we will be the shining beacons of God’s Light and truth, His love and kindness towards us, being good inspiration and strength for all our fellow brethren who may still be struggling in their faith and in their willingness to follow the Lord in all that He has entrusted to them in their own various ways. Let us all be their pillars of support and strength, helping each other to carry out God’s will and mission, at all times and opportunities, as courageous and faithful servants and followers of the Risen Lord.
May the Risen Lord, Our Saviour, continue to bless us all and guide us in all of our journey throughout life. May He empower and strengthen each and every one of us in our struggles and in our efforts to follow Him, despite all the challenges, trials and hardships that may come our way. We must not easily lose hope and we have to remain firmly focused on the Lord, entrusting ourselves to Him, and believing in everything that He Himself has shown us, that in the end, we shall be raised together with Him into an everlasting existence with Him, in true bliss, joy and glory. May God be with us always, now and forevermore. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : White
Matthew 28 : 8-15
At that time, the woman left the tomb at once in fear, yet with great joy, and they ran to tell the news to Jesus’ disciples. Suddenly, He met them on the way and said, “Rejoice!” The women approached Him, embraced His feet and worshipped Him. But Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid! Go and tell My brothers to set out for Galilee; there they will see Me.”
While the women were on their way, the guards returned to the city, and some of them reported to the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests met with the elders, and decided to give the soldiers a large sum of money, with this instruction, “Say that His disciples came by night while you were asleep, and stole the Body of Jesus. If Pilate comes to know of this, we will explain the situation and keep you out of trouble.”
The soldiers accepted the money and did as they were told. This story has circulated among the Jews until this day.
Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 15 : 1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
Keep me safe, o God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “O Lord, my inheritance and my cup, my chosen portion – hold secure my lot.”
I bless the Lord Who counsels me; even at night my inmost self instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; for with Him at my right hand, I will never be shaken.
My heart, therefore, exults, my soul rejoices; my body too will rest assured. For You will not abandon my soul to the grave, nor will You suffer Your Holy One to see decay in the land of the dead.
You will show me the path of life, in Your presence the fullness of joy, at Your right hand happiness forever.
Liturgical Colour : White
Acts 2 : 14, 22-33
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and, with a loud voice, addressed them, “Fellow Jews and all foreigners now staying in Jerusalem, listen to what I have to say. Fellow Israelites, listen to what I am going to tell you about Jesus of Nazareth. God accredited Him and through Him did powerful deeds and wonders and signs in your midst, as you well know.”
“You delivered Him to sinners to be crucified and killed, and in this way the purpose of God from all times was fulfilled. But God raised Him to life and released Him from the pain of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in the power of death. David spoke of Him when He said : I saw the Lord before me at all times; He is by my side, that I may not be shaken.”
“Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; my body too will live in hope. Because You will not forsake me in the abode of the dead, nor allow Your Holy One to experience corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life, and Your presence will fill me with joy.”
“Friends, I do not need to prove that the patriarch David died and was buried; his tomb is with us to this day. But he knew that God had sworn to him that One of his descendants would sit upon his throne and, as he was a prophet, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah. So he said that He would not be left in the region of the dead, nor would His Body experience corruption.
This Messiah is Jesus and we are all witnesses that God raised Him to life. He has been exalted at God’s right side and the Father has entrusted the Holy Spirit to Him; this Spirit He has just poured upon us as you now see and hear.
Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is Risen from the dead, He has risen and conquered sin, destroyed the chains that had held us down all these while, broken free the prisons of the underworld, and led all of those who have faith in Him to Himself. Alleluia! He is Risen! And we all truly rejoice greatly and wonderfully this evening because at this moment we mark the occasion when Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, the Son of God, on the third day of the Triduum of His Passion, His suffering, Crucifixion and death, rose in glory just as He Himself had predicted and told to His disciples, showing them and all of us, that sin and death truly have no power over Him, and that those do not have the final say over all of us.
At this moment of Easter Sunday, after having gone through the entire season and time of Lent from Ash Wednesday, having not sung the great and most joyful Alleluia, now we finally sing out with great joy this hymn of great praise to God, and rightly so because we give Him thanks for everything the He had done for our sake, and we thank Him most graciously for having given us all His Son to save us all, just as we have commemorated everything that happened throughout His Passion or Suffering, when Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, endured the worst punishments, sufferings and trials, all for the sake of our salvation and liberation from evil, sin and death. We rejoice because through His Resurrection afterwards, the Lord Jesus showed us all that not even sin and death can rule over us, and in the end, we can have the sure hope of eternal life with God.
In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard the words of St. Peter the Apostle who exhorted the faithful, the disciples of the Lord, proclaiming all that had happened and taken place at that time and earlier, with the coming of the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, the Son of God Who has brought the revelation of God’s truth and salvation into our midst. He was rejected, oppressed and made to suffer for all of our sins, but one which He has willingly accepted and embraced out of His love for us all. Through His Cross, Christ has brought us the sure hope of eternal life as well as the assurance of redemption because by His Cross, His death and ultimately by His Resurrection from the dead, He has conquered death, and broken forever the hold which sin has over us. His Light has dispelled the darkness present all around us, and showed us all the path towards God.
The Lord had told St. Peter and the other Apostles and disciples, shown Himself to them and proclaimed the truth about His mission, and how He has entrusted this mission to them all, to the Church of God. Each and every one of us as Christians have been called to various different missions, vocations and purpose in life, in each and every areas that are pertinent or unique to us, to the abilities and opportunities which the Lord has given to us and blessed us all with. The Apostles and disciples of the Lord responded faithfully and courageously to their calling, proclaiming the Risen Lord with great courage and dedication, being witnesses of His truth and love, His Good News to all the people of all the nations. Through their exemplary lives and actions, their commitments to God’s Law and commandments, they have indeed become the shining beacons of God’s light and salvation, which is something that we must do as well in our own lives.
In our second reading taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians, and the alternative from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, all of us are reminded by the Apostle of the grace which God has blessed us all generously with, and the path which Our Risen Lord has shown us, in leading us all towards God’s grace and salvation, leaving behind our old and past sinful way of life, our past attachments to worldly pleasures, desires and all the things which have often kept us all away from the fullness of God’s grace and love. We must get rid from ourselves all the ‘yeasts’ of sin, the impurities of our worldly attachments and all those obstacles that often kept us away from truly being able to develop a strong, lasting and wonderful relationship with the Lord. We have to focus our attention on the Risen Lord, and look upon His Light and Hope, so that we may tear ourselves away from the darkness of sin in this world.
Then finally, we are reminded yet again through the Gospel passage in which the account about the Resurrection of the Lord was highlighted to us, how the Lord has truly indeed risen from the dead and did not remain in the dominion and realm of death, for sin and death had no hold over Him, and He Himself has conquered those two, breaking forever the chains binding us to their dominion and power. Through His Resurrection, the Lord showed us all that His Light, His love and the hope in His salvation are far greater than the greatest power and forces that sin, darkness and evil can muster against us, and hence, as Christians, we must not be afraid of following the Lord and entrusting ourselves to Him, in whatever it is that He has called us all to do, to be His disciples and missionaries, His witnesses in our world today.
That is why on this most joyous occasion of Easter, as we finally rejoice in great joy and exultation upon the glorious Resurrection of Our Lord, let us all therefore remember our own moment of baptism, the time when we pass through from the old life and existence of sin into the new life and existence once again filled with God’s grace and love. We must remember our calling, mission and whatever God has entrusted to us all as Christians, in embarking on this journey we have been entrusted with through our baptism. Baptism is merely just the beginning of our journey as Christians, the moment when we enter into this new life, and not the end of the journey. There are bound to be trials, challenges, difficulties and many other obstacles in our path, and if we are not careful, we may easily slip and fall again back into the path of sin. However, if we continue to remain true and faithful to our calling and mission as Christians, then we will surely remain true in our path towards God and His salvation.
Therefore, just as we pray today for our all those who have just joined the Church earlier at Easter Vigil, let us all remind ourselves of our own journey as Christians, renewing the promises we have made at our baptism so that each and every one of us will continue to go forth, ever joyfully proclaiming the Lord and His truth, His love and salvation to all the whole world through our lives, through our every actions, words and deeds. Let us all be truly good and worthy disciples and followers of the Lord, by doing His will and by continuing the great works which He has entrusted to us through His Church. May the Risen Lord be with us all and may He bless our every actions, efforts and endeavours, all for His greater glory, now and always. Alleluia! Amen!
Liturgical Colour : White
John 20 : 1-9
At that time, on the first day after the Sabbath, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone blocking the tomb had been moved away. She ran to Peter, and the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
Peter then set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered the tomb; he, too, saw the linen cloths lying flat.
The napkin, which had been around his head, was not lying flat like the other linen cloths, but lay rolled up in its place. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed. Scripture clearly said that He must rise from the dead, but they had not yet understood that.
Alternative reading
Matthew 28 : 1-10
At that time, after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake : an Angel of the Lord descending from heaven, came to the stone, rolled it from the entrance of the tomb, and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his garment white as snow. The guards trembled in fear and became like dead man when they saw the Angel.
The Angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, Who was crucified. He is not here, for He is risen as He said. Come, see the place where they laid Him; then go at once and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there. This is my message for you.
They left the tomb at once in fear, yet with great joy, and they ran to tell the news to His disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met them on the way and said, “Rejoice!” The woman approached Him, embraced His feet and worshipped Him. But Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid! Go and tell My brothers to set out for Galilee; there they will see Me.”
Alternative reading (Easter Sunday Evening Mass)
Luke 24 : 13-35
At that time, on the same day Jesus rose from the dead, two followers of Jesus were going to Emmaus, a village seven miles from Jerusalem, and they talked about what had happened. While they were talking and arguing about what had happened, Jesus came up and walked with them. But their eyes were not able to recognise Him.
He asked, “What is it you are talking about?” The two stood still, looking sad. Then the one named Cleophas answered, “Why, it seems You are the only traveller to Jerusalem who does not know what haw happened there these past few days.” And He asked, “What is it?”
They replied, “It is about Jesus of Nazareth. He was a Prophet, You know, mighty in word and deed before God and the people. But the chief priests and our rulers sentenced Him to death. They handed Him over to be crucified. We had hoped that He would redeem Israel. It is now the third day since all this took place.”
“It is also true that some women of our group have disturbed us. When they went to the tomb at dawn, they did not find His Body; and they came and told us that they had had a vision of Angels, who said that Jesus was alive. Some of our people went to the tomb and found everything just as the women had said, but they did not find a Body in the tomb.”
He said to them, “How dull you are, how slow of understanding! Is the message of the prophets too difficult for you to understand? Is it not written that the Christ should suffer all this, and then enter His glory?” Then starting with Moses, and going through the prophets, He explained to them everything in the Scriptures concerning Himself.
As they drew near the village they were heading for, Jesus made as if to go farther. But they prevailed upon Him, “Stay with us, for night comes quickly. The day is now almost over.” So He went in to stay with them. When they were at table, He took the bread, said a blessing, broke it, and gave each a piece.
Then their eyes were opened, and they recognised Him; but He vanished out of their sight. And they said to one another, “Were not our hearts filled with ardent yearning when He was talking to us on the road and explaining the Scriptures?” They immediately set out and returned to Jerusalem.
There they found the Eleven and their companions gathered together. They were greeted by these words : “Yes, it is true, the Lord is risen! He has appeared to Simon!” Then the two told what had happened on the road to Emmaus, and how Jesus had made Himself known, when He broke bread with them.
Liturgical Colour : White
Colossians 3 : 1-4
So then, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things. For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is your life, reveals Himself, you also will be revealed with Him in Glory.
Alternative reading
1 Corinthians 5 : 6b-8
Do you not know that a little yeast makes the whole mass of dough rise? Throw out, then, the old yeast and be new dough. If Christ became our Passover, you should be unleavened bread. Let us celebrate, therefore, the Passover, no longer with old yeast, which is sin and perversity; let us have unleavened bread, that is purity and sincerity.
Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 117 : 1-2, 16ab-17, 22-23
Alleluia! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His loving kindness endures forever. Let Israel say, “His loving kindness endures forever.”
The right hand of the Lord is lifted high, the right hand of the Lord strikes mightily! I shall not die, but live to proclaim what the Lord has done.
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing and we marvel at it.
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 