Easter Sunday
The Resurrection of the Lord
April 24, 2011 Cycle A
White priestly vestments symbolize purity and integrity of the life of faith.

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Liturgical Cycles A 10-11
                                     Introductory Acts Of Worship

The Entrance Prayers:   On Sunday, usually a hymn praising God is sung in place of reciting a Psalm from the Bible which invites us to enter more deeply into the mystery of God's love for us.  The recited weekday Psalm expresses a youthful heart and spirit, delighted that we may come before the living God.

Entrance Song / Entrance Psalm (Antiphon)           
Entrance Song
Psalm 138:18, 5-6  I have risen: I am with you once more; you placed your hand on me to keep me safe.  How great is the depth of your wisdom, alleluia!

The Priest Approaches and Kisses the Altar:  The altar is a symbol of Christ.  In it are cut five crosses to recall the five wounds of Christ.  The altar also represents the Church and has embedded in it the relics of her saints.  The priest comes to the altar to celebrate the Sacrifice in the Church's name.  Because of the glory surrounding the altar upon which the divine Sacrifice will be made, the kiss of the priest unites the Church to Christ, its Redeemer.

Priest:   In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All:          Amen.

The Greeting:  We are welcomed in God's name.  Our response unites us to our neighbor, to the priest and to God.  (The priest may select from several forms of greeting).

Priest:   The Lord be with you.
All:           And also with you.

The Penitential Prayers:  We recognize our guilt for past sins, express our sorrow for them, and ask that Mary, the angels, the saints, and our brothers and sisters in Christ pray for the Lord God's mercy.  (The priest may select from several forms).

Priest:  My brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.

Priest:  You raise the dead to life in the Spirit: Lord, have mercy.
All:        Lord, have mercy.
Priest:  You bring pardon and peace to the sinner: Christ, have mercy.
All:       Christ, have mercy.
Priest:  You bring light to those in darkness:  Lord, have mercy.
All:        Lord, have mercy.
Priest:  May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All:        Amen.

The Absolution:

Priest:   May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All:           Amen.

The Gloria:  The Glory of God prayers have existed from the second century.  They repeat the angels praise of God which heralded the birth of Christ on earth.  Our praise is lifted again through the years as we rejoice at His coming as Lord, God, the most high Jesus Christ, who at Christmas took on our human nature while at the same time being the son of Man. This ancient hymn expresses our recognition of God's glory and love.  It calls upon Christ as our holy and divine mediator, and the Holy Spirit who forever binds us together in God's love.

Priest and All:   Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.  Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thinks, we praise you for your glory.  Lord Jesus Christ, only son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.  For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

The Opening Prayer:    The priest lifts the united prayers and petitions of the congregation to God the Father through the merits of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.

Priest:  God our Father, by raising Christ your Son you conquered the power of death and opened for us the way to eternal life.  Let our celebration today raise us up and renew our lives by the Spirit that is within us.  Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.


                              Liturgy of the Word

Christ is made known to us through the Old Testament which prepares us to recognize Him.  In those days, God inspired men who spoke His message.  Now, the New Testament Gospel reading announces His presence to us directly through His Son.  Both readings bring God's message to us.  Our responsibility is to respond.
 

The First Reading:  From the Old Testament

Priest/Reader:   A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

First Reading:  Acts 10:34a, 37-43

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.  The 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.”

Priest/Reader:   The Word of the Lord.
All:                           Thanks be to God.

The Responsorial Psalm:  This Psalm praising God, is a prayer to God, or recommends the practice of virtue.  It is sung as an interlude between the scriptural readings.  It provides yet another instructional setting and invites the assembly to imitate the cantor who sings a repeated response to the verses of an ancient Psalm many of which are attributed to King David.  The verses are sung first by a cantor (song leader) accompanied by instruments, the refrain is sung by the people. 

Psalm 62:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

Cantor:   This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!
All:          This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!
Cantor:   Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.  Let the house of Israel say, "His mercy endures forever."
All:          This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!
Cantor:   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.
All:          This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!
Cantor:   The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.  By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.
All:          This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!

The Second Reading:  Taken from the New Testament, often from a letter written by St. Paul.

Priest/Reader:        A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Colossians.  

Second Reading:   Colossians 3:1-4

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.

The Sequence:  A hymn of joy said or sung before the Gospel on certain feast days.

Cantor:  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, 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.

The Alleluia:  An ancient expression of joy anticipating the Lord's message we will hear in the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Cantor:    Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!
ALL:  R/.  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!
Cantor:    Christ has become our paschal sacrifice; let us feast with joy in the Lord.
ALL:  R/.  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

The Gospel:  The Liturgy of the Word is completed by the reading of the Gospel.  Before its reading, the members of the assembly trace the sign of the cross upon the forehead to indicate their mental acceptance of the Truth, on the lips to indicate their readiness to announce it, and over the heart to indicate their sincere desire to accept it into their lives.  The "Good News" of the Gospel tells that God's kingdom has come for all to hear, accept, and announce to the world for its salvation.  It is God who is speaking to us.  Christ comes to teach us by the example of His life and by His own words.

Priest:   Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.      Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.

Priest:   The Lord be with you.
All:           And also with you.
Priest/Deacon:   A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
All:                             Glory to you, Lord.

The Gospel:   John 20:1-9

John wrote to show that Christ was
the Messiah, the Divine Son of God.

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 saw and believed.  For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Priest/Deacon:   The Gospel of the Lord.
All:                             Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

The Priest's Sermon:    The priest develops, explains, and comments upon the Master's words, so our minds may be
enlightened, and our hearts enriched.

(A priestly reflection upon this Gospel)

Renewal of Baptismal Promises

Priest:  Dear friends, through the paschal mystery we have been buried with Christ in baptism, so that we may rise with him to a new life.  Now that we have completed our Lenten observance, let us renew the promises we made in baptism when we rejected Satan and his works, and promised to serve God faithfully in his holy Catholic Church.  And so:
Priest:  Do you reject sin, so as to live in the freedom of God's children?
All:        I do.
Priest:  Do you reject the glamour of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin?
All:        I do.
Priest:  Do you reject Satan, father of sin and prince of darkness?
All:        I do.
Priest:  Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?
All:        I do.
Priest:  Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
All:        I do.
Priest:   Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
All:        I do.
Priest:   God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and forgiven all our sins.  May he also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever.
All:        Amen.

General Intercessions:   We pray for the needs of the pope, civic leaders, our own needs, those of others, the sick, the dying, those who have died, the church, and the world.  The response of all to each intercession:  Lord, hear our prayer.

All:   Lord, hear our prayer.

                  The Liturgy of the Eucharist

Gifts of bread and wine symbolizing ourselves are presented to the priest who will offer them to God the Father.  Through the Holy Spirit, they will become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ whom we receive in Holy Communion.  Jesus unites Himself with us for our spiritual nourishment and strength.  Today, when individuals do not present their own personal offerings of bread and wine, the monetary contribution symbolizes the material of their united sacrifice.

Preparation of the Bread and Wine:

Priest:   Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you;
               fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.
All:           Blessed be God for ever.

Priest:   By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share
               in our humanity.

Priest:    Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you; fruit
               of the vine and work of human hands it will become our spiritual drink.
All:           Blessed be God for ever.

Priest:    Lord God, we ask you to receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts.

The Priest's Hands are Washed: This act was traditional necessary because the priest handled the various gifts presented by the people.  Now, the cleansing act using water reminds the priest and ourselves of the need to cleanse not only the hands but the soul.  Soon, the priest's hands will hold the actual body of Christ, and we will become His dwelling place.

Priest:    Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin. 
               Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

All:           May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good, and the good of
               all his holy Church.

Prayer over the Gifts:  Speaking in our name, the priest asks the Father to accept the gifts we offer through him.

Priest:    Lord, with Easter joy we offer you the sacrifice by which your Church is reborn and nourished through Christ our Lord.

Eucharistic Prayer:   (Number Four:  The priest may select from several forms).

Priest:    The Lord be with you.
All:           And also with you. 

Priest:    Lift up your hearts.
All:           We lift them up to the Lord.

Priest:    Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
All:           It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Preface Prayer: 

Priest:    Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.  We praise you with greater joy than ever on this Easter day when Christ became our paschal sacrifice.  He is the true Lamb who took away the sins of the world.  By dying he destroyed our death; by rising he restored our life.  And so, with all the choirs of angels in heaven we proclaim your glory and join in their unending hymn of praise: 

Acclamation:

Priest and All:   Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest.   Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest.

Priest:   Father, we acknowledge your greatness: all your actions show your wisdom and love.  You formed man in your own likeness and set him over the whole world to serve you, his creator, and to rule over all creatures.  Even when he disobeyed you and lost your friendship you did not abandon him to the power of death, but helped all men to seek and find you.  Again and again you offered a covenant to man, and through the prophets taught him to hope for salvation.  Father, you so loved the world that in the fullness of time you sent your only Son to be our Savior. 

He was conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, a man like us in all things but sin.  To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation, to prisoners, freedom, and to those in sorrow, joy.  In fulfillment of your will he gave himself up to death; but by rising from the dead, he destroyed death and restored life.  And that we might live no longer for ourselves but for him, he sent the Holy Spirit from you, Father, as his first gift to those who believe, to complete his work on earth and bring us the fullness of grace.

Priest:   Father, may this Holy Spirit sanctify these offerings.  Let them become the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord as we celebrate the great mystery which he left us as an everlasting covenant.

He always loved those who were his own in the world.  When the time came for him to be glorified by you, his heavenly Father, he showed the depth of his love.
                                               
The priest repeats the words which Christ used at his Last Supper when He changed the bread into His Body and the wine into His Blood.  His Body and Blood are truly present but under the appearance of bread and wine.  The death of Christ is prolonged in each of those who receive Him worthily.  We apply His death to ourselves so that we may share His glory.  This moment is the most solemn on earth because it is Divine act which enables us to apply to ourselves the Cross which Christ willingly took upon Himself. 

We are called to die to sin and lift our very selves to God so that we become changed; to do as God would have us do, to become what God would have us become.  Our own little cross can lift us into union with Christ's Cross so we may earn the joys of everlasting happiness with God the Father. 

The Lord's Supper:   While they were at supper, he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take this, all of you and eat of it: for this is my Body which will be given up for you.

                                   
In the same way, he took the cup filled with wine.  He gave you thanks, and giving the cup to his disciples, and said:

Take this, all of you, and drink from it; for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant; which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.  Do this in memory of me.

Memorial Acclamation: (The priest may select from several forms). 


Priest:                Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.
Priest and All:   Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Memorial Prayer:  (The priest may select from several forms).

Priest:   Father, we now celebrate this memorial of our redemption.  We recall Christ's death, his descent among the dead, his resurrection, and his ascension to your right hand; and, looking forward to his coming in glory, we offer you his body and blood, the acceptable sacrifice which brings salvation to the whole world.

Lord, look upon this sacrifice which you have given to your Church; and by your Holy Spirit, gather all who share this one bread and one cup into the one body of Christ, a living sacrifice of praise.

Lord, remember those for whom we offer this sacrifice, especially _____ our Pope, _____ our bishop, and bishops and clergy everywhere.  Remember those who take part in this offering, those here present and all your people, and all who seek you with a sincere heart.  Remember those who have died in the peace of Christ and all the dead whose faith is known to you alone.  Father, in your mercy grant also to us, your children, to enter into our heavenly inheritance in the company of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and your apostles and saints.  Then, in your kingdom, freed from the corruption of sin and death, we shall sing your glory with every creature through Christ our Lord, through whom you give us everything that is good.

Doxology: 

               
Prayer of Praise:   Through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.  Amen.  

All:   Amen.
                      Communion Rite

In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we symbolically offer ourselves to the Lord through the gifts of bread and wine.  At the Consecration, we offer our very lives to be united the God the Father through the Cross of Christ.  In Communion, we find that we have not died at all, but have come to life.  We have surrendered ourselves to God through His Divine Son, Jesus Christ.  In return become ennobled and enriched.  We give up time and we get eternity, we give up our sin and we receive grace, we surrender our self-will and receive the strength of the Divine Will, we give up ourselves and we receive everything.  For the Son of God says to us that unless we receive Him we shall not have Divine life in us.  But it is not really we who receive Christ as it is Christ who receives us, bringing us into Himself.

God makes His Cross the very means of our salvation and our life.  While we have crucified Him, His eternal love cannot be extinguished.  Christ willed to give us the very life we crucified in our Redemption, the Consecration of Holy Thursday into Communion, His death into our everlasting life.

The Lord's Prayer:

Priest:   Jesus taught us to call God our Father, and so we have the courage to say:
Priest and All:   Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
All:        For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever.

Prayer for Peace:

Priest and All:   Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
                                  Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
                                  Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
                                         
            Communion of the Priest:

Priest:  May this mingling of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.
 

Priestly Preparation:   Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who by the will of the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit, through  your death gave life to the world.  By your holy body and blood free me from all my sins, and from every evil.  Keep me faithful to your teaching, and never let me be parted from you.  

Priest:   This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Happy are those who are called to his supper. 

Priest and All:   Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.

Priest:   May the Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
              May the Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.

Communion Antiphon:

Communion Song: 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Christ has become our paschal sacrifice; let us feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, alleluia.

Communion of the Faithful:

Priest:    The Body of Christ.    
All:         Amen.
Priest:   The Blood of Christ.   
All:         Amen.

Cleansing of the Vessels:

Priest:   Lord, may I receive these gifts in purity of heart.  May they bring me healing and strength, now and for ever.

Prayer after Communion:

Priest:   Let us pray.
Priest:  Father of love, watch over your Church and bring us to the glory of the resurrection promised by this Easter sacrament.  We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
All:          Amen.

Concluding Rite

Priest:   The Lord be with you.
All:          And also with you.

Dismissal Prayer:  (The priest may select from several forms)

Priest:   Bow your heads and pray for God's blessing.
May almighty God bless you on this solemn feast of Easter, and may he protect you against all sin.
All:          Amen.
Priest:  Through the resurrection of his Son God has granted us healing.  May he fulfill his promises, and bless you with eternal life.
All:          Amen.
Priest:  You have mourned for Christ's sufferings; now you celebrate the joy of his resurrection.  May you come with joy to the feast which lasts for ever.
All:          Amen.
Priest:  May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All:          Amen.

Priest:  Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, alleluia, alleluia.
All:          Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia.

 O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. 
 
 Save us from the fires of hell. 
 
 Lead all souls to heaven,
 
 especially those in most need of your mercy.
 
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