Homily for Easter Sunday.

Homily prepared for my Homiletics class.

Easter Sunday (Mass of the Day)

Acts.10:34,37-43

Ps.117:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 R/v.24

Col.3:1-4

Jn.20:1-9

Theme:- Christ glorification showed that the Father accepted his sacrifice.

Dear friends, happy Easter!!

A few moments ago we were joyfully singing the responsorial psalm “This day was made by the Lord; we rejoice and are glad”. Indeed we are glad, indeed we rejoice because of the empty tomb, because Jesus is risen and death has no power over him. I am sure you are aware of the changes at the altar and the decorations. For examples the beautiful floral decorations, the bright colors, even my vestments are in golden color. All of it brings joyful celebration feelings. Even our songs are full with Alleluias, just more than the usual.

By raising Jesus from death, God obtained for us new life. This new life, a new beginning, is an experience of the bountiful grace of God. It’s an experience of God’s presence. That is why from today we are an alleluia people. We share in Jesus’ resurrection. We share in the resurrected and glorified body of Jesus. It’s a sharing in God’s own life through Jesus. Christ glorification showed that the Father accepted his sacrifice and that we could now be united with God forever.

During the Lenten season, we were encourage by the church to die to ourselves, that is to die to our sinfulness so as to experience this new life which God gives us through the resurrection of Jesus. We were preparing our self through all the Lenten sacrifices we made during the Lenten season so as to renew our baptismal promises which some of us made last night and for some of us we’ll be doing it a little while later. So encouraging seeing some abstaining from meat the whole season, for some were fasting, I even did see some spending more time in adoration with the Eucharist, I know some who stopped cigarettes during the whole period. I am sure many you know your own sacrifices. And I want to assure you dear friends that since God accepted the sacrifice of his son Jesus on the cross, he will sure accept our sacrifices we made during lent. So that is why, as I said earlier, that now we too have a share in Christ glorification, a sharing in the new life through Jesus. Because of the new renewed relationship we have with God and through the good Lenten observances we can now be like the beloved disciple we just heard about at the gospel, who only had to see and then believe. He didn’t need any more sign. And this, I believe is because of the relationship the disciple had with Jesus. That is why he is known as the disciple Jesus loved!.

A glorified life is basically living a life of holiness. St Paul in the second reading today, spells out to us what living a life of holiness is. He says, since we have been brought back to true life with Christ, we must now seek for things that is in heaven. Yes, we have died and now, today, we have been raised to new life and the life we have is hidden with Christ in God, says St. Paul. Now what are this things in heaven that St. Paul speaks about? In the text he says its Christ like things. Seek for things in heaven where Christ is. So such things are like love, peace joy, freedom, patience, kindness and faithfulness. With all these things and experiences of things in heaven, our faith will mature and truly we do not need any more evidence to see and believe the risen Christ and we do not have to linger on the outside of the tomb with doubts and fear. With conviction now, we can be brave witnesses to the resurrection just like Peter in the 1^st reading. We hear of him addressing Cornelius and his household about the resurrection of Jesus. He was not afraid of the authorities and those who did not believe in Jesus, but he was bold in sharing this good news. All this is because of his relationship with Jesus. Peter has experienced the new resurrected life for has he says, that it was only certain witnesses that God had chosen has witness and experience the resurrected Jesus.

Dear friends.

Today we are that chosen witnesses. And we are all called to bear witness to the resurrection of Christ and the way we can do it is to share with everyone the good news of own resurrection. That is, a witnessing to the changes that we experienced in our own lives through the good Lenten observances we had; from dying to new life, from sinfulness to a holy life, from unforgiving to forgiving, from hate to love, from enmity to friendship.

Maybe for some of us we might have failed to keep the Lenten observances or failed to search our hearts to find the stones that block us from the resurrected life, courage, its not too late. Jesus is risen and is with us, we can ask our risen Lord to roll back these stones that block so that we can enter into a life of love, hope, joy and freedom.

We spend a few moments in silence now so as to reflect on this beautiful resurrected life that we share in Christ. We reflect how we can grow further in commitment to God.

Invitation to Renew Baptismal vows using the text from the roman missal.