“He has risen just as he said he would!” Those are the joyous words of the first disciples of Jesus on that first Easter morning. They were so happy to know that he was no longer dead but alive. Not only that, but he also did something that nobody ever expected. He did not simply come back to life (like he had done for Lazarus). He rose to a new and more glorious life. It is a life that is free from the limitations of this world. It is a life that will never end. Jesus exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Both before and after his death and resurrection, he had assured his disciples that they too would share fully in his death and resurrection. Just as surely as we shall all die one day, so also we will rise in our bodies when Jesus returns to take us home. Our eternal life is not just some type of spiritual ethereal existence. Easter tells us emphatically that, like Jesus, our bodies will rise from the dead. We shall live forever in our resurrected bodies. In the renewal of our baptismal promises on Easter as well as in the Apostles Creed, we profess that we believe in the resurrection of the dead. That means that the resurrection of Jesus has been extended to you and me and all our loved ones as well as to all people.
The resurrection of Jesus teaches us another lesson: if Jesus can conquer death, the ultimate enemy (and he has), then he can conquer every evil in our world. That is why the resurrection of Jesus is the basis for all our hope. No matter what struggles we may face in our personal lives, faith in the risen Jesus will ultimately bring victory. No matter how big the problems of our world seem, Christ gives the hope that we need. Remember, hope means the confidence that the Lord is still in charge. Jesus Christ has triumphed over sin and death, and we share in the victory in a myriad of ways.
And so, we have great reason to rejoice this Easter. But we need to look beyond the struggles of the present to see the victory that the risen Lord will bring. Our problems may be big or small, but they are no match for the power of God revealed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, rejoice in what really matters.
I also take this opportunity to thank the many people who helped us to pray well throughout the season of Lent and the Sacred Triduum. Special thanks to those who worked to prepare the liturgies, those who led our faith formation programs, the many people who participated in listening sessions, those who extend our care to the sick and the poor, and those many people who work “behind the scenes” to be sure that all preparations and logistical arrangements have been made. Thank you so much!
I wish all of you a blessed Easter season. Our celebration of Easter extends for 50 days. May it be a time when we are all filled with joy and renewed in hope. May peace fill your hearts, your homes and our whole world (especially troubled areas like Ukraine).
In observance of the Octave of Easter, our parish offices will be closed for all of Easter Week. They will reopen on Monday, April 25.
There will be no email newsletter during Easter week. The next issue will be sent out on April 29.
Holy Week and Easter Schedule
Holy Thursday -April 14 -
7:00 pm, Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Bilingual)
11:00 pm, Night Prayer
Good Friday -April 15 -
12:00 pm – Stations of the Cross
5:00 pm – Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion (English)
7:00 pm - La liturgia de la pasión del Señor (Español)
Holy Saturday -April 16 -
8:00 pm – Easter Vigil (Bilingual)
Easter Sunday -April 17 -
6:00 am – Sunrise Mass
7:30 am – Mass in the church
9:00 am – Mass in the church and outside at the school
11:00 am – Mass in the church and outside at the school
1:00 pm – Misa en Español en la iglesia y tambien en el patio de la escuela
There is no 5:00pm Mass on Easter Sunday
Now the Green Blade Rises
This is my most favorite Easter hymn. The music is a French carol (Noël Nouvelle) The lyrics were written by John MacLeod Campbell Crum. There are dozens of arrangements available online but I chose this one because the whole congregation was singing out their Easter hope.
Mark Wahlberg as Fr. Stu
No doubt, you have heard about the new movie Fr. Stu. Did you know that Mark Wahlberg, the actor who plays Fr. Stu, is actually a devout and practicing Catholic? Without having seen the movie yet, I offer you these two articles that speak about the movie and the actor.
Given by Rachel’s Hope on May 13-15, 2022. Professionally led. Held at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 3888 Paducah Drive, San Diego. Confidentiality maintained. Closing Mass included. Group Size limited. Cost $60; partial scholarships available. Limited housing available. “Not judged, not lectured, just healed”. For information/registration call Rosemary Benefield (858) 581-3022; text (858) 752-9378 or email rachels_hope@juno.com
Have you been personally impacted by miscarriage or abortion? Are you wondering how to accompany and support friends or family members who have experienced reproductive loss? Please join us for this Mass and workshop at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (13541 Stoney Creek Road, San Diego 92129) on Saturday, April 30, in remembrance of lives lost and in support of grieving families. The Mass is at 5:30 p.m. and the workshop is at 7 p.m. with speaker Sara West from San Diego’s Institute of Reproductive Grief Care.
Whispering Winds Women’s Auxiliary Spring Retreat in Julian
We invite you to come to join us on the mountain for a weekend of faith renewal and fellowship. What a fantastic opportunity for us to come together to encourage, support, laugh, and strengthen our faith! May 13 - 15th, 2022 - Cost is $195 - Financial Aid is Available - contact Chris Villalobos for more info 619-977-7403.
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Catholic Trivia
"Catholic Trivia”... not because they are trivial but because these might be things that not everyone knows. Test your knowledge by reading the five questions, remember your answers (or jot them down), then click the link below to find the answers.
Which disciple was the first to meet the risen Lord?
Which disciple wanted to see the imprint of the nails on the hands of Jesus before he would believe that Jesus had risen?
According to the 4th gospel, which two disciples raced to the tomb to see if Jesus had risen?
Jesus appeared to his disciples after the resurrection beside which sea?
According to the gospel of Luke, to what village were the two disciples going on Easter evening as they left Jerusalem?
If you have other members of your family or your friends who would like to be on our email list, just let me know or write to Mary McLain at mmclain@stpatrickcarlsbad.com We will be pleased to add them.
Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord - Year C
First Reading
Acts of the Apostles 10:34a,37-43
Peter preaches about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 118:1-2,16-17,22-23
Rejoice in this day of the Lord.
Second Reading
Colossians 3:1-4
Colossians: Having been raised by Christ, be concerned with what is above.
Gospel Reading
John 20:1-9
Mary of Magdala finds that the stone has been removed from Jesus' tomb.
Background on the Gospel Reading
Today we begin the Easter Season, our 50-day meditation on the mystery of Christ's Resurrection. Our Gospel today tells us about the disciples' discovery of the empty tomb. It concludes by telling us that they did not yet understand that Jesus had risen from the dead. Thus, the details provided are not necessarily meant to offer proof of the Resurrection. The details invite us to reflect upon a most amazing gift, that is faith in Jesus and his Resurrection.
Each of the four Gospels tells us that Jesus' empty tomb was first discovered by women. This is notable because in first-century Jewish society women could not serve as legal witnesses. In the case of John's Gospel, the only woman attending the tomb is Mary of Magdala. Unlike the Synoptic accounts, John's Gospel does not describe an appearance of angels at the tomb. Instead, Mary is simply said to have observed that the stone that had sealed the tomb had been moved, and she runs to alert Simon Peter and the beloved disciple. Her statement to them is telling. She assumes that Jesus' body has been removed, perhaps stolen. She does not consider that Jesus has been raised from the dead.
Simon Peter and the beloved disciple race to the tomb, presumably to verify Mary's report. The beloved disciple arrives first but does not enter the tomb until after Simon Peter. This detail paints a vivid picture, as does the detail provided about the burial cloths. Some scholars believe that the presence of the burial cloths in the tomb offers evidence to the listener that Jesus' body had not been stolen (it is understood that grave robbers would have taken the burial cloths together with the body).
The Gospel passage concludes, however, that even having seen the empty tomb and the burial cloths, the disciples do not yet understand about the Resurrection. In the passage that follows, Mary of Magdala meets Jesus but mistakes him for the gardener. In the weeks ahead, the Gospel readings from our liturgy will show us how the disciples came to believe in Jesus' Resurrection through his appearances to them. Our Easter faith is based on their witness to both the empty tomb and their continuing relationship with Jesus—in his appearances and in his gift of the Holy Spirit.
In the stories of the empty tomb on Easter, frequent mention is made of the big stone being rolled away before the women arrived. As you listen to this song, consider how Jesus rolls away the stones in our lives. The song was written by TaRanda Greene, Joel Lindsey, Wayne Haun and Geron Davis for TaRanda's 2018 CD release called "The Healing".
Daily Resurrection
In this Easter reflection, Fr. Ronald Rolheiser speaks about the daily experiences of resurrection that are possible in our lives. They give us reason to hope.
During the restrictions on gatherings last year, Fr. Ron recorded three presentations on the biblical accounts of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He focused on the unique features of each account. They are still stored on our YouTube site, and the following links will take you directly to them. Feel free to use them to enter into the biblical message of the suffering and death of Jesus.
Two members of our parish, John and Judy McCaffrey, are “spotlighted” in the April 2022 issue of Brother Benno’s Newsletter. They have been faithful volunteers there for 17 years. They have done various important things for the organization like buying food, serving food, formatting the newsletter, writing grants and more. This is faith in action!
If you would like to read the whole article about John and Judy, click below.
The Second Sunday of Easter is also the Octave of Easter. Only two feasts of the Church year have octaves (8-day celebrations): Christmas and Easter. Pope St. John Paul II also designated this day as Divine Mercy Sunday. To read about the significance of Divine Mercy Sunday, go to the link below. There is also a video which gives a short explanation of its origin and meaning.
El primer día después del sábado, estando todavía oscuro, fue María Magdalena al sepulcro y vio removida la piedra que lo cerraba. Echó a correr, llegó a la casa donde estaban Simón Pedro y el otro discípulo, que quien Jesús amaba, y les dijo, “Se han llevado del sepulcro al Señor y no sabemos dónde la habrán puesto”. Este es parte del texto del Evangelio de San Juan que se leo en la Misa del Domingo de la Resurrección. Y podemos sentir el temor y la ansiedad de María a no encontrar el cuerpo de Jesús en el sepulcro donde fue puesto. Su reacción es de correr y avisarle a Pedro y el otro discípulo que han es una reacción normal. Aunque Jesús les había dicho que iba a morir y tres días después resucitar, pero no entendieron y es por eso que María y los dos discípulos se sienten de esta manera. Eso nos pasa a nosotros también. El temor y la ansiedad nos bloquen lo que Dios quiere darnos. Hoy celebramos Pascua de la Resurrección del Señor. Este es el día, que Dios, por medio de su Unigénito, ¡vence la muerte y nos abre las puertas de la vida eterna! Este gran acto de amor ofrecido a cada uno de nosotros debería crear grandes cambios en nosotros. Reflexionemos, ¿Qué tan significante es para mí saber que Jesús muere en la cruz y resucita tres días después para darme a mi la vida eterna? Estando consientes de esta herencia, vivamos con ese gozo en el corazón y en nuestra cara, porque somos de Dios y nos espera un gran premio. ¡Feliz Pascuas! ¡El Señor vive!
Por favor escuchen a los enlaces proveídos, espero que les ayude en su meditación.
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