Invitation to Pray
Pause for a few moments of silence to become more aware of the presence of God. Pray together:
O God, on Easter Sunday you conquered death and unlocked for us the path to eternity through your Only Begotten Son.
As we celebrate the joy of His Resurrection, we may be renewed by your Spirit and walk in newness of life.
Pour forth your grace upon this gathering, that our hearts may be lifted in hope, our minds illumined by your Word, and our lives conformed more fully to the Risen Christ.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Scripture
John 20:1-9 The Empty T
On the first day of the week Mary of Magdala came to th tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and sa stone removed from the tom So she ran and went to Sim Peter and to the other disci whom Jesus loved, and told “They have taken the Lord f tomb, and we don’t know w they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in
When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.
Take a few minutes to savor a word, a phrase, a question, or a feeling that rises up in you. Reflect on this quietly or share it aloud.
Other scripture readings of the day:
Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Colossians 3:1-4 or Corinthians 5:6b-8
RENEW International provides training, support, and resources to assist parishes in creating small Christian communities and accompany them on their journey of faith
Look again at the ending of this reading: “For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead” (v. 9). Sometimes we lose that statement when we hear this gospel passage. The disciples at the tomb were confused, they were disbelieving, they were afraid, astonished, thought his body had been stolen, and perhaps had even more reactions. We know for sure they didn’t understand what had happened Their discovery of the empty tomb really did not make sense until Jesus later began to appear to his friends
In a way, the good news they discovered was too good to be true. Sometimes it also takes us a long time to let any wonderful, amazing, “unbelievable” good news seep into our hearts and minds. No wonder the disciples were slow to believe. Yet, Easter is the keystone of the whole life of Jesus Without Easter, his life, which had promised so very much would have been, if not a failure, a huge disappointment However, because of the Resurrection, everything in his ministry has an amazing significance.
Because of the Resurrection, his disciples, including the doubters who visited the tomb that first Easter, began the mission of the Church. That mission continues today in the life of the Church, in our own hearts and words and actions
Group Sharing
With which one of the followers in this story do you most identify: Mary, who ran to tell others about the confusing scene and perhaps thought the body had been stolen; the first disciple, who only looked in the tomb and believed that Jesus had risen; Peter, who had to go in and examine things? Why? What might your answer tell you about yourself?
What makes the Resurrection believable to you? Do you find it as astonishing as the disciples did? How important is it to you that Jesus did rise from the dead?
What experiences of death and resurrection have you had, and what have you learned from them?
How does Resurrection give you hope or influence your life? What difference does the Resurrection make in your life?
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Faith Into Action Closing Prayer
Determine a specific action (individual or group) that flows from your sharing. This should be your primary consideration. When choosing an individual action, determine what you will do and share it with the group. When choosing a group action, determine who will take responsibility for different aspects of the action. The following are secondary suggestions:
1.Continue celebrating and observing this most important liturgical season during the coming weeks and not just during the days close to the feast. Decide how you can continue celebrating the Resurrection in this season.
2Share your hope and belief in resurrection with someone who has recently experienced the death of a loved one and who may not be able to see good news in his or her life just now.
3.Decide what your group might do to welcome those just initiated into your community through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) process so that they are integrated into the parish community and not abandoned after Easter.
Give thanks to God (aloud or silently) for insights gained, for desires awakened, for directions clarified, for the gift of one another’s openness and sensitivity. Conclude with:
This wonderful day, O Christ, is yours
Help us to experience Easter in our hearts.
Turn our own empty tombs into signs of new life, signs of hope
Give us the grace to share our hope with those we love and especially with those who need new life and courage and hope in their own lives.
Alleluia!
Amen.
