EASTER SUNDAY, 2019

 

Christ, my hope has risen!

God, who on this day, through your Only Begotten Son,

Have conquered death and unlocked for us the path to eternity,

Grant, we pray, that we who keep the solemnity of the Lord’s resurrection may,

through the renewal brought by your Spirit, rise up in the light of life.

Today we arrive at the oldest of the Church’s Feast Days, and the pinnacle of the liturgical year: the wonder-filled celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Take your imaginations to the family of Ivy Wangechi, a graduate student from Moi University who died under love relationship that had turned sour. Think of the starving people in various parts of Kenya due to ongoing drought situation and the family of the girl killed in Likoni by his boyfriend. A man killed his friend in Kenya for a debt of kshs. 60 and cholera cases in Nairobi hospital affecting 52 staff members. Will these people have wonder-filled celebrations? Will Alleluia become their song?

The psalmist joyfully foresees the resurrection of Jesus and recognizes it as the work of God Himself.

The Gospel records how Peter and the unnamed “beloved disciple” (and then later in the same chapter, Mary Magdalene) slowly come to realize that Jesus has risen from the dead. The relationship between Jesus and the disciple he loved is model for all faithful Christians, as God invites us into a loving, intimate relationship with Christ.

The first reading demonstrates that one of the fruits of the resurrection is to break down barriers between peoples: in this case Peter, a Jew stays in the home of Cornelius, a Gentile. This goes beyond what is culturally permitted: Peter is risking defilement by having contact with a non believer. Let us demonstrate the fruit of the resurrection by becoming promoters of life and peace, non-violent relationships and feeding the hungry.

            Paul, too emphasizes the consequences of the resurrection for the followers of Jesus, and appeals to the Early Church in Colossae to be aware of the mystery of true life with Christ. He calls them to live the sort of life fitting for those raised to new life in Christ.

            On this Easter Day, we may pray to recognize the dignity that belongs to us as Christians and for the grace needed to live it out in practice doing good as Jesus did, in our daily, ordinary lives. Giving hope to others and if we can be present to their situations we can share the story of hope and life with them. We can help them change their narrative into Alleluia narrative.

Joy and Peace

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