Easter Octave 2026 - Friday - Come, have breakfast

 

On Easter Sunday morning, the angel gave instructions that the disciples were to leave Judaea and go to Galilee where the would see the Lord. Well, in today’s Gospel, the disciples have traveled to Galilee—to the Sea of Tiberius, which is another name for the Sea of Galilee—and there they see the Lord.

Now, notice that they’ve returned to Galilee, and they’re not exactly looking that hard for Jesus. They aren’t preaching, teaching, healing, or spreading the Gospel in his name. In fact, they seem to have reverted to their old way of life—they’ve gone fishing.

Well, they might not have been looking that hard for Jesus, but Jesus was looking for them. He makes himself visible to them, he calls out them from the seashore, and when they approach him, Jesus says, “come have breakfast”. 

There is something unique about breakfast. Breakfast is not a royal banquet, it’s a simple meal, typically shared with family. Breakfast is informal; everybody might still be a bit disheveled before having their favorite caffeinated beverage—not everyone is washed or totally awake. The disciples, after a night of working, certainly fit this description. Like a parent for children still groggy from sleep, the Lord makes breakfast for these groggy children, he even calls them children. And in his closeness to them, in sharing the meal, they recognize that it was the Lord.

Easter was 5 days ago, and we, like the disciples are already a bit groggy. Our catechumens, initiated at  the Easter Vigil are still wrapping their minds and hearts about meeting Jesus in the Sacraments.

Maybe, since easter, we like the disciples retreating to fishing, have retreated back into old bad habits already instead of allowing Easter to change us. Maybe, since Lent is over, we haven’t been looking for Jesus that hard in prayer. But it is good that we are here, at Mass. Weekday Mass is so powerful, and I wish more people would come to weekday Mass, because the Lord meets us here for an intimate family meal—like the Lord dining with his disciples on the seashore--to feed us, to reorient us and strengthen our faith for the work he has for us out in the world.

The Collect for Mass today asks God to dispose our minds that the faith we celebrate may be expressed in our deeds. That’s exactly what the Lord was doing on the seashore with the disciples, opening their minds to the reality of his resurrection, that their faith might impel them into the world. And he does the same thing here. May the reality and power of the Lord’s resurrection animate our words and deeds today, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ.

For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received.

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

 

Easter Octave 2026 - Monday - “To the dead, he has given life.”

 

For the secular world, Easter is over now. For disciples of Jesus Christ, however, today is the second day of a fifty day season of glory—reveling in, celebrating, reflecting upon, basking in the light of the most important thing that ever happened. Jesus Christ rose from the dead, just as he said he would.

The Catechism says, “The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ, a faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community; handed on as fundamental by Tradition; established by the documents of the New Testament; and preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross: Christ is risen from the dead! Dying, he conquered death; To the dead, he has given life.”

“To the dead, he has given life.” What powerful words these are! This truth resounds through every Easter Alleluia we sing. It is meant to animate every day of our life.

This is what we see already in today’s readings. In the first reading, Peter stands in Jerusalem and boldly proclaims that the crucified Jesus has been raised up by God. Peter himself is a sign of what the Resurrection does. The man who once hid in fear now speaks with courage. In the Gospel, Mary Magdalene runs to announce the news to the disciples. Sorrow has given way to joy and urgency.

The Resurrection is not only something that happened to Jesus; it is something Jesus now shares with us. His victory becomes our victory. His life becomes our life. Souls, dead because of sin, have been raised up. Lives under the sway of sin are freed. Again, fear is transformed into boldness. Sorrow is transformed into joy.

This season, the secular world, which has forgotten Christ, which never really knew him, is to witness His resurrection through us. That’s why on this 1^st day after easter sunday, we are given examples of Easter witness: Mary Magdalene sharing the news with the disciples, St. Peter boldly proclaiming Christ to the crowd. Mission. The Church has a mission. You and I have a mission. We

The world needs to see signs of his Resurrection in us: in deeper hope, in real joy, in renewed courage, in freedom from sin, in charity and peace. Christ is truly risen, and has given us new life—and that life is meant to be lived.

May the power of Christ’s resurrection continue to raise us to new life and help us to witness to his great victory for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

Brothers and sisters, rejoicing in the victory of Christ who has conquered death and given new life to his people, let us bring our prayers before the Father.

For the Church throughout the world: that, renewed by the joy of Easter, she may boldly proclaim that Christ is risen and bear convincing witness to his victory by lives of holiness, charity, and peace. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the Holy Father, bishops, priests, and deacons: that the power of the Resurrection may strengthen them in their ministry and make them fearless heralds of the Gospel. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who govern the nations: that the risen Christ may turn hearts from violence, division, and despair toward justice, reconciliation, and the dignity of every human life. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who were baptized or received into the Church at Easter: that they may remain close to the risen Lord and grow each day in the new life of grace they have received. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those whose souls are burdened by sin, fear, grief, illness, or hopelessness: that the Lord Jesus, who gave life to the dead, may raise them up with his mercy and fill them with peace. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who have died: that they may come to share fully in the triumph of Christ’s Resurrection, and for the consolation of those who mourn them. Let us pray to the Lord.

Priest:
Heavenly Father, you raised your Son from the dead and made him the source of new life for the world. Hear the prayers we place before you and make us faithful witnesses of the Resurrection.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Easter Octave Tuesday - 2024 - To share in God's life is to share in His work.

The Easter Octave, the eight-day celebration beginning on Easter Sunday is a period deeply imbued with the joy and triumph of Christ's Resurrection. We read the various Gospel accounts of Easter Sunday, and our first readings are taken from the Acts of the Apostles, particularly from Pentecost Sunday.

Why do we read about Pentecost on Easter?

Reading from the Acts of the Apostles during the Easter Octave connects the celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection with the mission of the Church.  

The Lord’s resurrection is God’s victory over sin—the mission for which Jesus was sent, the salvation of souls, succeeded. And during Easter we consider how the Lord’s mission of salvation continues through us—who share in his life through baptism. 

The new life of Easter involves a new share in the work of God. You can’t share in the life of God without sharing in his work.  Christians are called not only to a personal relationship with God, but also a sacramental relationship, a communal relationship through his Church, and also a share in the missionary life of the Body of Christ. Christ came as a missionary to the human race, and his church continues that missionary mission.

And we read from the Acts of the Apostles, to show us what that missionary life looks like. 

Yesterday, we heard Peter declare, “Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs… This man…you killed… But God raised him up.” Sharing in the life of Christ involves proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus—sharing the good news men need to hear.

And today, Peter’s speech not only proclaims Christ risen, but also invites those guilty of crucifying Him to repent and to enter into life. “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

All those guilty of crucifying Christ, that’s all of us—God wants baptized in order to bestow signs of that living relationship through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The call to repentance and baptismal faith that we hear in Peter's speech is not just a historical event 2000 years ago but an ongoing invitation to each of us. 

Baptism, which some of us received decades and decades ago, involves an openness to the unfolding and increase of God’s grace. Continuous dying to our old selves in order to rise to new life. Life can always be renewed, if we are 2 weeks old or a 102. There is always something to new, there is always new life, new gifts, God wishes to bestow for the sake of the mission. 

Like Mary in the Gospel, tears, shed over losing sight of Jesus, are meant to make way for proclamation. “Why are you weeping…Go and tell my brother…” Okay you found me, now get up and get to work. Don’t just stay here at the tomb, this is a place of death. Get up and prove that you are alive through action, through the work of the Church. 

May our easter celebrations continue to open us to the joy of the gospel, the joy that comes through active participation in the good work of the Church for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Easter Octave Monday 2024 - This is the day that the Lord has made.

Throughout the octave of easter, we hear an echoed refrain from Psalm 118: “This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” Psalm 118 was the responsorial psalm on easter Sunday, and we hear it echoed each day of the octave in the Gospel acclamation. We also find it in the responsory at morning prayer, for those who pray the liturgy of the hours.

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” I remember singing this attending Easter Masses as a young boy, and it still fills me with joy.

These words capture the very essence of what we celebrate during this sacred time. Easter Sunday marked the culmination of God's plan of salvation, the day when Christ triumphed over sin and death, and opened for us the gates of eternal life. It was, indeed, the day the Lord had made, the day that changed the course of human history forever.

But the joy of Easter is not confined to a single day. The Church, in her wisdom, gives us an entire Octave to contemplate and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Eight days of uninterrupted rejoicing, eight days to allow the reality of Christ's victory to sink into our hearts and transform our lives.

And so, each day of this Octave, we repeat this refrain, reminding ourselves that every day is a gift from God, a chance to participate in the new life that Christ has won for us. Every day, we are called to live as Easter people, to allow the light of the resurrection to dispel the darkness of our world.

Throughout this week, as we hear the accounts of the risen Christ appearing to his disciples, as we witness the transformation of doubt into faith, fear into courage, and sorrow into joy, we are reminded that the power of the resurrection is not meant to be a distant memory but a present reality. “This” is the day the Lord has made. Not just easter Sunday, but today. Because the newness of life begun at easter continues to unfold in our lives when we act as people of faith—when we allow our easter faith to animate our lives.

Each day, as we face our own challenges, struggles, and doubts, we are called to remember that Christ has overcome the world and that, in Him, we too can be victorious—when we allow our Christian identity—our union with the risen Christ to transform, animate, and guide.

So let us make this refrain our own, not just during this Easter Octave but every day of our lives. Let us wake up each morning with the conviction that "this is the day the LORD has made" and resolve to "be glad and rejoice in it." Let us allow the joy of the resurrection to permeate our thoughts, words, and actions, and let us share that joy with all those we encounter. Alleluia! He is Risen! For the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - - - 

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn to earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ. 

For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received. 

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

Easter Octave 2022 - Monday - Fearful, yet overjoyed

 

When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the place where Jesus was buried, their first encounter was with an empty tomb.  

Lovingly and dutifully, they went to the tomb, Easter Sunday morning to anoint the body of Jesus—to complete the burial rites left unfinished by Joseph of Arimathea. On their way to the tomb, they wonder  “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” After all, the stone was heavy. It was large. It was truly a foreboding obstacle. It took several people to roll it into place, it was going to be more difficult to move out of the way.

Despite this obstacle, they went to the tomb anyway. They could have stayed home. They could have dwelt on the enormity of this obstacle and stayed home. What beautiful fervor, that these holy women, despite the obstacle, go to fulfill the duty of charity anyway. And it was in that experience of being faithful and dutiful and charitable that the women encountered the angel and receive news of the resurrection.

A charitable heart, a dutiful and obedient heart opens itself to receive the good news. Alleluia.

After announcing to the women that Jesus had risen, the angel tells the women to go to announce the Goodnews to Peter and the other disciples--as a sort of Apostle to the Apostles, as the early church called her. And that’s where our Easter Monday Gospel picks up. 

Receiving this commission by the angel, we heard this morning that “They went away quickly”. This reminds me of the beginning of St. Luke’s Gospel. When our Lady is told to go to her cousin Elizabeth, St. Luke tells us that Mary left in haste. When we receive a commission by an angel, we do well not to dilly-dally. 

“They were fearful and overjoyed.” St. Matthew tells us. There’s an apt description of the Christian life if I’ve ever seen one. Christians are constantly to be going into unknown territory to spread the Gospel. That’s a fearful task, and yet, we are filled with joy, knowing that we are being faithful to the work God has given us.

And again, in this experience of being faithful, despite their fear, the women have an encounter, and this time not with an angel, but with the Risen Lord Himself.

Like the holy women on Easter Sunday morning, the Church is called to be industrious in our charity, diligent in seeking the Lord, and at the same time confident that when we are faithful, God will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. The Lord will take care of the heavy lifting. 

And it’s okay to acknowledge that the work of the Gospel is often fearful—to speak to strangers, to stand before kings. Notice, that the Lord himself tells them, don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid how the disciples will react to this news, tell them anyway. The same goes for us. Don’t be afraid how people will react to the good news, let us tell them anyway, trusting that if there is some obstacle in their hearts, some heavy stone, God will move it, if God wills it.

Dutiful, charitable, trusting in God, may we be faithful to the spread of the Gospel and the work God has for us today and all days, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -  

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ. 

For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received. 

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

Easter Octave 2021 - Friday - Revealed

 The very first verse and the very last verse of the Gospel passage today contain a very important word: reveal. After his resurrection, the risen Lord “revealed” himself to his disciples. 

St. John likes to use this word, both in his Gospel and in the book of Revelation. He’s even sometimes called “St. John the Revelator” 

The signs Jesus accomplished throughout John’s Gospel: the wedding at Cana, walking on water, multiplying loaves, raising the dead, reveal Jesus’ identity and his mission—his divine identity and his mission to bring about the salvation of mankind.

Two details certainly reveal his identity and mission in the Gospel today: the miraculous catch of fish and the meal Jesus provides. And yet, these two details reveal something about the church, too. Just as at Jesus’ word, the net is cast into the sea after a long night of fruitless fishing, now in the period after the resurrection the church is to cast the net of the Gospel into the world, to bring in souls. We are made fishers of men. And just as the risen lord shares a meal with his friends on the seashore, the members of the church, are to celebrate the holy mass, in which the lord feeds his friends with his body and blood in every corner of the world. 

The Lord wishes to use us to continue to reveal that his is Risen from the dead. The Church’s mission continues and will continue until the Lord’s return: to help people believe that Jesus is God, that he is savior, and that he is risen. 

In the Gospel, it takes a number of disciples to pull in that net of fish, and so too with us. It takes a number of Christians, working together, to bring souls to Christ. Who are your fishing partners? Your not meant to be working all alone. The work of the Gospel is never a solitary act. Where two or three are gathered, the Lord is revealed. 

Lord, reveal to me how you wish me to reveal you to others, today. For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -  

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ. 

For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to and grow in the faith they have received. 

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

Easter Octave 2021 - Wednesday - Emmaus Word and Sacrament

 

As I mentioned yesterday, in ancient days the newly initiated would attend daily mass throughout the easter octave. The homilies would have a catechetical tone to help the newly initiated understand the mysterious meaning of easter, the sacraments they received, and apply the scriptures to their new way of life.

And isn’t that exactly what the Lord does in the Gospel today: shrouded in mystery, he meets a small group of confused disciples, he breaks bread with them in which they recognize his real presence, and he explains the scriptures to them—how what occurred on Good Friday and Easter Sunday was in fulfillment of his Father’s plan of salvation foretold in the Old Testament.

The whole Christian life is like a journey beginning at baptism, in which we encounter the risen Lord, and then subsequently grow in our understanding of discipleship as we walk the Way of Life.

And then like the disciples—hearing the word and breaking the bread—every time we attend Mass, we are encountering the Risen Lord—in the liturgy of the word and the liturgy of the Eucharist. In the liturgy of the Word we encounter the Lord challenging us, inspiring us, enlightening us, correcting us, healing us, deepening our understanding, inviting us, equipping us, and sending us out into the world, like Peter in the first reading, to bring the Lord’s good news and spiritual healing to others. Some people zone out during the liturgy of the word, but this dimension of the mass is of vital importance, and we do well having come to mass already having read a bit and reflecting on the scriptures, so that when they are proclaimed during Mass, we are ready for and receptive to the Lord’s life giving word.

And then as the disciples recognized the Lord in the breaking of the bread, we recognize the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist—bread and wine changed into his very body and blood. In all of the other sacraments Jesus gives us His grace, says St. Thomas Aquinas, while in the Eucharist, the “sacrament of sacraments,” He gives us His whole self, His divinity and His humanity.

Something happens within us when we encounter Christ in the Mass.  Our hearts do burn within us, as the Emmaus disciples—they are enflamed with love, enlightened with understanding, purified of selfishness, warmed and consoled, and tempered for the work of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -  

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ. 

For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received. 

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

Easter Octave 2021 - Tuesday - He gave them the water of wisdom to drink

During Easter Week, the Church continues to hold aloft in our prayers the newly initiated—those who became one with the Lord through the Easter Sacraments, and one with us in the communion of grace. In the early church, it was customary for the newly initiated to attend daily mass throughout the Easter Octave and continue to don their white baptismal garments in witness to the new life they received in Christ. Many of the scripture readings and liturgical prayers are partly directed to them.

Consider the entrance antiphon for this Easter Tuesday Mass: “He gave them the water of wisdom to drink: it will be made strong in them and will not be moved; it will raise them up for ever, alleluia.” On several occasions Jesus stated that he was the fountain of living water for all who believed in Him and He invited souls to draw near this spring. “If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. He that believeth in Me…within him shall flow rivers of living water.” The newly initiated are invited today to consider how, in the Sacraments, they now have access to that living water, the living fountain now wells up within them, as it does all Christians in a state of grace.

St. John Chrysostom teaches: “When the grace of the Holy Spirit enters a soul and is established there, it gushes forth more powerfully than any other spring; it neither ceases, dries up, nor is exhausted. And the Savior, to signify this inexhaustible gift of grace, calls it a spring and a torrent.” The water of grace propels a soul into God and brings that sweet intimacy and union desired by all men.

And yet for that fountain to remain active and forceful, the soul must apply itself to daily prayer, mortification, and good works. It must dispose itself and live out the wisdom of God. Again as Sirach says, “he gave them the water of wisdom to drink”. In order for wisdom to become strong, we must order our lives according to the wisdom of God. God’s priorities must become our priorities; what God loves, we must love, and despising whatever keeps us from this.

Notice in the Gospel today how Mary Magdalene’s tears are changed from sorrow to joy as she begins to understand that Jesus Christ is truly alive. So too with us, as we grow in wisdom and faith, as we allow the grace of the sacraments to grow within us, sorrow over earthly realities is transformed into joy over heavenly ones.

This Easter Season, may the grace of the sacraments continue to be unleashed in our lives: the wisdom that comes from turning away from the world and turning to the Risen Christ in baptism, the strength and fortitude for resisting temptation and spreading the Gospel that comes from confirmation, and the new life that comes to us under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ. 

For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received. 

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

Easter Octave 2018 - Friday - "Come Have Breakfast"

When the angel appeared to the women at the empty tomb, the angel told them to tell the disciples to go to Galilee, and there they shall see the Lord. Well, today, we hear how they have gone to Galilee—the Sea of Tiberius is another name for the Sea of Galilee—and there they see the Lord. Why they decided to go fishing is questionable, shouldn’t they have been focusing on looking for Jesus instead of retreating back to their comfort zones?

Well, they might not having been looking for Jesus, but Jesus was looking for them. And making their way to shore, Jesus says to them, “come, have breakfast”.  There is something special about breakfast. It’s not a royal banquet, it’s a simple, yet intimate meal, typically shared with family. It’s informal, everybody might still be a bit disheveled, not everyone is washed. The disciples, after a night of working, certainly fit this description.

And Jesus is the one here who makes breakfast for the group. Like a parent for children, still groggy from sleep. In fact, Jesus calls the disciples “children” here, doesn’t he. And just like groggy children, the disciples didn’t seem quite awake when they first saw the Lord.

This is also going to be a moment of reconciliation and a sharing of love, just like the family table is meant to be. For it was beside a charcoal fire that Peter denied Jesus, and now beside a charcoal fire, Peter will express his sorrow and his love for Jesus.

Jesus knew the disciples would be hungry after a night of fishing, but no doubt they were hungrier for the truth: that Jesus was with them, that he had indeed risen from the dead, that their first two encounters with him weren’t hallucinations, he wasn’t a ghost, and that he was continuing to prepare them for the great mission of spreading the good news, making disciples, teaching all nations that salvation is found in Him.

We are like the disciples here, groggy, a bit distracted, disheveled from all of our worldly business. And Jesus, calls out to us, often in a voice we don’t initially recognize, to come and to be renewed in faith, to be reconciled with Him, to deepen our love for Him. Jesus knew the disciples needed to be strengthened for their mission, so he feeds them, and he feeds us too, in intimate moments of prayer and with His Body and Blood in the Eucharist.

But he does so, that we may wake up, and shrug off our grogginess, and be ever more focused and intent on spreading the Gospel and building up His Body the Church, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - -
 
Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ.

For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received.

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

Easter Octave 2018 - Tuesday - Grace-filled encounters with the Risen Christ

Listen again to the words of the Entrance Antiphon for this Tuesday within the Easter Octave: “He gave them the water of wisdom to drink; it will be made strong in them and will not be moved; it will raise them up for ever, alleluia.”  These three beautiful lines remind of us of the three sacraments of initiation which the neophytes receive on the easter vigil. The water of baptism, the strengthening oil of confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist, of which Jesus says, “whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Remember, during these first days of easter, the Church shows special care for the newly initiated. They would attend daily mass often garbed in their baptismal garments, and afterwards, they would meet with their catechists to continue to unpack what they experienced at the Easter Vigil.

And not so much “what" they experienced but, “WHO” they experienced. For the Sacraments are “grace-filled encounters with the Risen Christ.”

Mary Magdalene in the Gospel today serves as a sort of model for all those who encounter Christ--for those who encountered Christ for the first time at Easter, and for all of us.

Firstly, when Mary Magdalene “encounters Christ” in the garden,  at first she does not recognize Him. Often we do not recognize the ways Jesus appears to us. Even in the Sacraments, for the un-initiated, all you see is water, oil, bread, or a grizzled old priest.

But as the Catechism teaches, in the sacraments, it is Christ who baptizes, Christ who confirms, Christ who feeds us with his body and blood, Christ who heals the sick, Christ who absolves our sins, Christ who unites in marriage.

Next, Mary’s tears are changed for sorrow into joy as she begins to understand and believe that Christ is alive. Similarly, as we grow in faith, as we allow the grace of the sacraments to grow within us, sorrow over earthly realities is transformed into joy over heavenly ones.

Finally, Jesus tells Mary “stop holding onto me.” Each of the Sacraments, particularly those of initiation, help us to stop living in the past, as they help us to embrace the present mission Christ gives us. Mary is sent to bring the good news to the rest of the disciples, and so are we.

This Easter Season, may the grace of the sacraments continue to be unleashed in our lives: the wisdom that comes from turning away from the world and turning to the Risen Christ in baptism, the strength and fortitude for resisting temptation and spreading the Gospel that comes from confirmation, and the new life that comes to us under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ.

For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received.

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.