He has risen!

Easter Sunday

Today we celebrate the greatest feast for us Christians: Easter. It is a feast of hope, that one day, we too will enjoy eternal life. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus gave us a new life. 

Today there is a choice of two gospels, either from St John or St Luke. Last year, we reflected about the Gospel of John, (can a link be inserted pls?) so this year we will consider the gospel of St Luke. This recounts how three women go to the tomb, to prepare Jesus’ body for burial. Since it was prohibited to come in contact with a dead body on a Saturday, when Jesus was put down from the cross, he was put in a tomb, and the body left to be anointed on Sunday. This was the reason, why the women went to the tomb. 

How many times have we listened to this same reading? It has become so familiar, that it is easy for our minds to wonder off. However, we should pay attention and understand why we celebrate Easter. What happened to these women, may easily happen to us. They went to the tomb and expected to find everything as they had left it. However, they were confused when they found the stone removed and the tomb open. They knew Jesus. They listened to him say that he would die but rise again. However, they had not understood, neither did they understand when they found the empty tomb. What would we have done if we were there instead of them? Would we have believed? Most probably we would likewise be confused. Even the apostles did not believe the women, when they told them what had happened.

We are living more than 2000 years after the resurrection. However, the question remains. Do we believe that Jesus rose from the dead? If we do not believe, what is the foundation of our faith? St Paul says, “if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (1 Cor 15, 14) We were not saved because Jesus died on the cross, but through his death and resurrection. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ.” (CCC 638)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he showed that he was not only man, but also God. Through his resurrection we can hope in eternal life. We can say that Jesus played his part, now it is our turn. In Baptism, we die to our old life to be born again to a new life in Christ. We are saved depending on how we live our life. We need to try to live as God desires. God gives us the help we need, but we must do what is being expected from us.  To die for Christ, it means, that we do not live according to our whims and fantasies. We need to form our conscience, so that we can do God’s will.

Our attitude should resemble that of the women. The women believed and went to give the good news to the apostles. They believed, even though they saw nothing. It is so like our own belief. We did not see Jesus risen from the dead, yet we believe. Pope Francis says, “Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world, and everything he touches becomes young, new, full of life. Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive! He is in you, he is with you and he never abandons you. However far you may wander, he is always there, the Risen One. He calls you and he waits for you to return to him and start over again. When you feel you are growing old out of sorrow, resentment or fear, doubt or failure, he will always be there to restore your strength and your hope.” (Christus Vivit 1-2)

A reading from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 24, 1-12)

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’”  Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. “But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” The apostles did not believe the women when they told them that Jesus had risen from the dead. Do you believe that Jesus is risen? Do you believe that Jesus is near, especially when passing through trying times, when you do not receive what you pray for?
  4. The two men ask, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Sin kills all hope. Where there is love, there is hope. Today, Jesus is inviting you to go to him, he is alive, he is near you, waiting for you to turn to him.  
  5. Together with your family find the right time to read this gospel. The environment helps, so before you start, prepare:
    i. The Bible reading from St Luke 24, 1-12
    ii. A candle
    iii. Cover the table with a white cloth
    iv. A computer/laptop with the readings and clips
    v. A picture or statue of the risen Christ
    vi. Flower
  6. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested).
  7. Feel free to adapt to your situation
  8. Be creative 😊 

Today we will again sing Hallelujah! Hallelujah, Jesus has risen from the dead. It is Easter, and today we remember that although Jesus died on the cross, after three days, he rose again. 

Let us listen to the Gospel and hear what the three women found, when they went near Jesus’ tomb.

  • Easter is the most important feast of the year, because Jesus rose from the dead
  •  Printout of the activity
  • Scissors
  • Colours
  • Glue 
activityDownload

Did you listen well to today’s reading?

There were three women who went to Jesus’ tomb. What did they find? (the tomb was open, and Jesus was not there)

It is as if these women lost something! Did anything similar ever happen to you? Did you ever feel sure of having left something somewhere, but you fail to find it once you go there to seek it? How did you feel? 

The three women expected to find Jesus there. Instead, they found two men, who told them that Jesus was no longer in the tomb. They told them that Jesus had risen from the dead!

Easter is the greatest feast that we celebrate as Christians. We celebrate Christmas too. We celebrate when Jesus was born, but the day that Jesus rose from the dead is in fact more important. 

What do you do when you are happy? Do you sing, when you are happy? To show that we are happy that Jesus rose from the dead, let us sing, Jesus is alive. 

When Jesus died, his friends were very sad. They could not meet Jesus any more, they could not talk to him.

Since Jesus had risen from the dead and was alive and no longer in the tomb, these women had gone to look for Jesus in the wrong place! Can it also happen to us? Can we look for Jesus in the wrong place? Where can we find Jesus? Where can we meet with Jesus?

We meet with Jesus in prayer, either when we pray alone or with others. We meet him at church during mass, when we read the Bible, or listen to stories from the Bible. We meet Jesus when we learn about him. Where can we learn about Jesus? (catechetical meetings, at school, at home, in church…)

We also meet Jesus, every time we help others, when we are good friends, when we love others. Jesus once said, that whatever we do with others, it is as if we are doing it to him.

Today’s activity will help us remember where we can meet Jesus. Colour the pictures of today’s activity. An adult can help you cut the outline and fold it to form a box. Put this box in your room, so that every time you see it, you remember where you can meet Jesus, and in this way, you get to know him more. Jesus is your best friend, so try to get to know him better.

Sign of the cross.

Just imagine how happy our Lady was when Jesus rose from the dead. During Easter time, we say the following prayer, let us say it together.

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. 
For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia. 
Has risen, as he said, alleluia. 
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. 
For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech you, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

After Jesus died, three women who were his friends, wanted to prepare the body for burial, as they always did when some among the loved ones, died. Yet, when they arrived, they found an empty tomb! Let us listen to today’s Gospel to see what happened and what these women did after this discovery.

  • When Jesus rose from the dead, he gave us new life
  • Print today’s activity on black cardboard paper, make two copies
  • Scissors
  • Craft knife
  • Coloured tissue paper
  • Glue
  • String 
PrintoutDownload
PrintoutDownload

Today we are celebrating a great feast. We are celebrating Easter.

What is so special about this feast?

It is true, that everyone likes ‘figolli’, easter eggs and presents, however, this is not the reason why today we celebrate the most important feast of the Church! By his resurrection, Jesus won over death. This was not a victory, only for himself, it is also our victory, and for this reason we celebrate it with such grandeur. When Jesus rose from the dead, he made it possible for us to have eternal life in heaven.

We can even start to enjoy this new life from now. When we live as Jesus desires, we will have peace and joy in our hearts. Jesus promised us that life with him, can be so much better than we can ever imagine. 

This new life is described through the various symbols we use during this time. We see pictures of butterflies, chicks, bunnies, and flowers. All of them, passed through a process to start a new life. Have you ever read or studied about the life of a butterfly? The butterfly is not like this from the very start. First it is an egg, then a caterpillar, then a pupa, and later it emerges as a beautiful butterfly. The same can be said about our life. The more we know Jesus, the more beautiful our life will become, because we will love others more, we will be more ready to help, we will show mercy.

For today’s activity, we will be doing a beautiful butterfly. When it is ready, you can hang it in one of the windows like a sun catcher. When you look at it, you will remember that Jesus rose from the dead, and gave us a new life. With the scissors cut the outline of the butterflies, and with the craft knife cut out the inside of the butterfly, as indicated. Cut the tissue paper in strips. Put glue on the butterfly and put the strips of tissue paper, one next to the other, on the butterfly until it is covered. Glue the other butterfly cut out and fix on top of the tissue paper. You may insert the string in between or else you may fix the string on the outside. Trim the extra tissue paper. Now you are ready to hang your butterfly!

When you listened to the Gospel, did you notice that at first the women and the apostles did not understand what had happened? These were the same people, who had heard Jesus teach. He foretold them that he would die and rise again, but it seems that they did not understand his words. When the women found the empty tomb, they “wondered” and when they told the apostles, “their words seemed to them like nonsense.”  So, it is ok if you have not yet understood all that Jesus is saying to you. Today’s Gospel tells us not to lose hope. Little by little, we too, like the women and the apostles, will understand Jesus. It is important though, to continue listening to what he has to say.

Sign of the cross.

Let us pray a prayer we say during Easter time and afterward listen to the song, Christ arose.

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. 
For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia. 
Has risen, as he said, alleluia. 
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. 
For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech you, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.