ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA !!!! CHRISTUS RESURREXIT, RESURREXIT VERES ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!!!
ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!!!! CHRIST IS RISEN, HE IS RISEN INDEED, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!!!
Christians, to the Paschal Victim Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems: Christ, who only is sinless, Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring What you saw, wayfaring. "The tomb of Christ, who is living, The glory of Jesus' resurrection;
Bright angels attesting, The shroud and napkin resting. Yes, my Christ my hope is arisen:
To Galilee he goes before you." Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining. Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.
(Sequence from Mass on Easter Sunday)
On this joyous Easter morn, the SS102fm team wish you every joy and blessing of this Easter Day to you and yours!
On this weeks programme, we mark Resurrection Day with our usual reflection on the gospel of the day but we also have a special interview with John Casey about the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults).
RCIA
John Casey joins us on the programme this week to speak about the RCIA. RCIA is the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and is the process by which adults join or come into full communion with the Catholic church. While in Ireland we have not had a very strong occurrence of this in the past, it is a growing trend with many people completing their journeys of initiation at the Easter Vigil.
For those who join an RCIA process it is a period of reflection, prayer, instruction, discernment, and formation. There is no set timetable and those who join the process are encouraged to go at their own pace and take as much time as they need. However, on average the process takes between eight to twelve months, but it can take up to two years or more. Those who enter the process are encouraged to begin attending Mass on a Sunday, attend a weekly RCIA session, and to become increasingly more involved in the activities of their local parish. The process culminates generally during Lent and Easter with the candidates joining the church during the Easter Vigil.
After the Easter Vigil a period of Mystagogia takes place which marks the beginning of the Neophyte Year (their first year as new Catholics). John also tells us about his Neophyte Group, explaining the support this group offers to new Catholics in their continuing journey in faith.
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| John Casey, RCIA Catechist (bottom left), and 13 neophytes (new Catholics) who became full members of the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil (March 30th 2013) |
You can listen to John's interview here.
John's interview is immediately followed by a reflection from Martin, a new Catholic who has already journeyed through the RCIA on the joys and challenges of being a new Catholic.
John's interview is immediately followed by a reflection from Martin, a new Catholic who has already journeyed through the RCIA on the joys and challenges of being a new Catholic.
Gospel - John 20:1-9
"Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead"
The Church's Easter proclamation is the strangest message ever delivered: Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. His resurrection is not merely a symbolic statement about Christ's historical importance or the affirmation that his cause goes on. Nor is the resurrection simply about some change in the the apostle's minds in regards to Christ after his death. The resurrection is about the real body of Jesus
Other reflections on this weeks gospel:
And going back to where it all began - Easter Celebrations at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem
Liturgical odds and ends
We now enter into the Octave of Easter where liturgically, time seems to stop so we can truly celebrate and continue the joy of the celebration of Easter Sunday. This means that during the week the Office and Mass of the day are the same as that of Easter Sunday. A reflection from iBenedictines - Time and Eternity: the Easter Octave and the Eighth Day
As it is the Octave, there are no saints commemorated this year. However, for some reminders:
- April 5th - First Friday
- April 7th - Divine Mercy Sunday
Thanks for all you do here.
ReplyDeleteEaster Blessings of Love, Joy, Peace and Hope to everyone at Sacred Space 102fm.
Phil, every blessing to you for this special day! Hopefully we will chat with soon as promised/threatend! S
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