How frequently in the Gospels?
Night Office - (A Word in Season 1983)
Christ the source of resurrection and life
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| Journey to Emmaus |
OCTAVE OF EASTER Wednesday Year I
First Reading From
the first letter of Peter (2:11-25)
See 1 Peter 2:21.24
Second
Reading
From
an Easter homily by an ancient author (Sermo 35,6-9: PL 17 red 1879], 696-697)
This reading from a fourth century homily contrasts the
death brought by Adam and the life brought by Christ, the second Adam, through
his passion and death. From the first Adam humanity inherited a mortal and
corruptible body and death. From Christ, the baptized inherit his risen and
glorified life and immortality.
Such was the prayer Christ made to the Father while he was still on earth...
Saint Paul rejoices in the knowledge that spiritual health has
been restored to the human race. Death entered the world through Adam, he
explains, but life has been given back to the world through Christ. Again
he says: The first man, being from the earth, is earthly by nature;
the second man is from heaven and is heavenly. As we have borne
the image of the earthly man, the image of human nature grown old in sin, so
let us bear the image of the heavenly man: human nature raised up, redeemed,
restored, and purified in Christ We must hold fast to the salvation we have
received. Christ was the firstfruits, says the Apostle; he is the source
of resurrection and life. Those who belong to Christ will follow him. Modelling
their lives on his purity, they will be secure in the hope of his resurrection
and of enjoying with him the glory promised in heaven. Our Lord himself said so
in the gospel: Whoever follows me will not perish, but will pass from death
to life.
Thus the passion of our Saviour is the salvation of the whole
human race. The reason why he desired to die for us was that he wanted us who
believe in him to live for ever. It was his will to become for a time what we
are at present, so that we might inherit the eternity he promised and live with
him for ever.
Here, then, is the grace conferred by these heavenly mysteries, the
gift which Easter brings, the most
longed-for feast of the year, the beginnings of the new creation; children are
born from the life-giving font of holy Church, born anew with the simplicity of
little ones, and crying out with the evidence of a clean conscience. Chaste
fathers and inviolate mothers accompany this new family, countless in number,
born to new life through faith. As they emerge from the grace-giving womb of
the font, a blaze of candles bums brightly beneath the tree of faith. The Easter festival brings the grace of
holiness from heaven to the children of the human race. Through the repeated
celebration of the sacred mysteries they receive the spiritual nourishment of
the sacraments. Fostered at the very heart of holy Church, the fellowship of
one community worships the one God, adoring the triple name of his essential
holiness, and together with the prophet sings the psalm which belongs to this
yearly festival: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice
and be glad. And what is this day? It is the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the
author of light, who brings the
sunrise and the beginning of life, saying of himself. I am the light of day; whoever walks in daylight does not stumble. That is to
say, whoever follows Christ in all things will come by this path to the throne
of eternal light.
Such was the prayer Christ
made to the Father while he was still on earth: Father,
I desire that where I am they also may be, those who have come to believe in
me; and that as you are in me and I in you, so they may abide in us.
Wednesday 3 April 2013
Easter Wednesday
Christ the source of resurrection and life
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