Reading from the Book of Acts 1:1-8
The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Reading from the Gospel of John 1:1-17
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Homily
Today Christ Our Lord has risen Alleluia! This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad. Jesus has risen, never to die again. After the anguish and grief of the last few days is now over, it is time to rejoice in the fulfillment of all prophecies and promises
By his resurrection this Easter, Jesus conquers death and proves that he is both the Lord of the living and of the dead. We died with Him through our Lenten obedience So, let us also rise with Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. The same power that resurrected him is resurrecting us.
This day, we are also all called to give thanks to God: “Who in his great mercy has given us a new birth, by raising Christ from the dead” The death of Christ was ours. Also, his resurrection, glory, and triumph are equally ours. In Christ, we now have hope in an inheritance that can never be destroyed. So, having been raised with Christ, we must act like the living and not the dead. This is how we share in the new life of Christ.
So, now we must seek the things of light, things that are noble, true, just, and things that glorify God. We must seek heavenly things, by living like freed people and citizens of heaven. God calls us to be aware of our new and exalted position in Christ. Let us be happy and rejoice for what God has done for us today in Christ.
Let us sing the Psalms on this glorious day of Easter: “This day was made by the Lord; we rejoice and are glad! Finally, let us ask for the grace to enter into the joy of Jesus himself, the seed that fell to the ground and died, and is now, bearing abundant fruit, full of new life.
Alleluia!
Peace Profound
Meronatha!
~Elisheva+
