God’s Work of Art!
Discipleship Questions for
Sunday April 12, 2009
Scripture Readings:
First Reading: Acts 10:34, 37-43
Psalm Reading: Ps 118
Second Reading: Col 3:1-4
Gospel: John 20:1-9
First Reading Acts 10:34a, 37-43
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
Peter proceeded to speak and said:
“You know what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.
We are witnesses of all that he did
both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible,
not to all the people, but to us,
the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commissioned us to preach to the people
and testify that he is the one appointed by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in him
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
(R.) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or
(R.) Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
(R.) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
(R.) Alleluia.
“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.”
(R.) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
(R.) Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
(R.) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
(R.) Alleluia.
Second Reading Col 3:1-4
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians
Seek what is above, where Christ is.
Brothers and sisters:
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.
Gospel Jn 20:1-9
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
He had to rise from the dead.
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where 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.
Discipleship Questions:
1. What is Easter really all about? Please read the following and discuss: From Palm Sunday to Holy Thursday to the darkness of Good Friday and the anticipation of the Easter Vigil and now we arrive at the wonder of this Easter Sunday – more than 2000 years after that first Easter Sunday when Jesus Christ did what no other person would ever do – He died and then came back to life!
Now you’ve heard me and other preachers reflect on the wonder of resurrection but this morning I’m sensing that God wants us to meditate on what Christ’s resurrection means to us. And I’m not suggesting that it’s all about us but what I’m edging towards is this idea that the fact of Christ’s resurrection changes everything!
If He really did come back to life then Christianity isn’t just one religion among many but rather it is the Mother and Father of all religions – of all attempts to explain the mystery of our existence.
We really do have the mother load of all explanations of what life is all about!
Now what I just said isn’t hyperbole – its fact – indisputable fact. Jesus was dead and then was alive!
This means that we can bank on what He said.
He said he was going to die and then come back to life and He did! That one fact establishes Christianity as the mother and father of all religions.
You have to somehow discount Christ’s resurrection or you’re stuck with a terrible problem – Jesus defeated death for you and me!
He defeated death! He defeated His death and in so doing He defeated your death and mine!
Now what does that mean?
I’m going to die but I’m not going to stay dead! Because Jesus defeated death I’m going to follow Him! I’m going to experience one day resurrection!
Now ponder that fact in light of your life right now!
No matter what you’re dealing with – it will pass and you will live! You will live beyond your own death! You will live on eternally! You will have no end!
Because of Jesus you and I have hope that extends into eternity – world without end!
Really think that! Really ponder that – you Doug will live forever!
It’s in this reality that our Psalm Response really begins to make sublime sense!
This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it!
Think about that glorious affirmation – This is the day the Lord has made!
The Lord God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – made this day – gave it to you and me! It’s a gift – not to be taken lightly! But rather to be received humbly and with deep thankfulness!
This is the day the Lord has made for you and for me! So truly “We should rejoice and be glad in it!
For this day is ours – a gift from God! - It’s a day that will never ever ever end!
Because of Easter – this day is eternal!
You and I live in the certain hope that our days will never ever ever end!
But rather will go on and on into eternity!
Can you even begin to imagine what that might be like?
Have you ever stopped and wondered what your eternal future is going to look like?
Because of Easter – you have been blessed with eternity – what are you going to do with all of that time? That infinite time?
2. Please read the following and discuss: The only true virtue that can embrace such a magnificent gift is love. Love – true love glories in eternity. It is at home in eternity! It was made for eternity. For love has no end – it overcomes the darkness of death – it always does and burst forth into eternity!
It was Christ’s love for us that defeated death and its love in us that reaches out in humble gratitude to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and say’s “Thank You! My beloved Lord.”
This is what Eucharist mean – Thank You!