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The Easter Cycle
come to us daily. Resurrection! To be risen means to be free, independent, and detached from
the world and all it can offer. To be risen means to rejoice in the belief that He is risen to whom
is given all power in heaven and on earth. To be risen means to share the victorious power of
God, and to be convinced that Christ is God. The prince of this world and all his minions are
already judged and condemned. If we are risen, then we must remember that we have received
pardon for our sins and that we enjoy the sonship of God. This sonship is the pledge of eternal
life and an earnest of our heritage in heaven. Once we have risen, we must know that God is
our Father and that His power rules the world. He knows every plot and every scheme that the
impure evil one has concocted against the pure ones of the earth. If our Easter is to be perfect,
it must transfigure our lives and soothe our troubles and cares.
Prayer
Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that we who have celebrated the paschal solemnity,
may by Thy bounty show forth its effects in our life and conduct. Through Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Monday
Today with grateful hearts we recall the joy and graces of our first Holy Communion. Our first
Holy Communion was most intimately connected with our baptism. On Low Sunday we should
renew our baptismal vows: “I renounce Satan, and sin, and the world with all its vanities.” And
“I believe in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ, and in God the Holy Ghost, and in the Holy
Catholic Church.” For this great day the liturgy proposes for our consideration at Matins the
words of St. Paul to the Colossians:
“Therefore, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at
the right hand of God. Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth.
For you are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ shall appear, who is your
life, then you also shall appear with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are
upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is
the service of idols. For which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of unbelief;
in which you also walked some time, when you lived in them. But now [since you have been
baptized] put you also all away: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, filthy speech out of
your mouth. Lie not one to another; stripping yourselves of the old man with his deeds, and
putting on the new, him who is renewed unto knowledge, according to the image of Him that
created him. . . . Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy,
benignity, humility, modesty, patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if
any have a complaint against another; even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also. But
above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ
rejoice in your hearts wherein also you are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word
of Christ dwell in you abundantly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in
psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God. All whatsoever
you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God
and the Father by Him” (Col 3:1–17).
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