Our Easter Reflection
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Readings of the Mass
CLICK HERE for the Audio recording of the Readings of
April 12th, 2020. Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord.
CLICK HERE for the Readings of April 12th, 2020. Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord. -
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April 12th, 2020. Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord.
“…he saw and believed."
John 20: 8
Who of us doesn’t know ‘the signs’ (symptoms of the coronavirus) by now?: coughing, fever, difficulty breathing, persistent headache etc. If you notice these you must take action, it is a matter of life and death.
These are very anxious days; some people have asked me recently, Father, is God trying to tell us something with all this? Are these signs of the end times?
Who wouldn’t ask these questions albeit secretly in our minds? Listening to the death toll is daunting and the devastation of families and nobody can yet figure out a cure; the fact that ‘everything can just stop’: our routines and rhythms of life, everything we consider so normal is shocking. What is this?
When asked the above, I will usually ‘figure’ out a quick calming answer, but truth to be told, I am as questioning as anybody else. My questions are more like -what is the larger picture here? As a believer or a faith person, I too ask, where is God in all this? Give us ‘a sign’, an answer…
In today’s Gospel, there is no mention or sight of Jesus, no Angel shining in dazzling white cloths, no thundering voice, no earthquake (unlike the Easter Vigil gospel) but just these visible but silent signs: a removed stone, an empty tomb and burial cloths. They are enough to startle Mary to run back to tell the others. Peter and the other disciple go to the tomb immediately and yes, they find everything as Mary had told them; Peter goes in, he looks (observes in awe, yet not yet understanding) and then the other disciple comes in, ‘he saw and believed’.
The visible silent signs are powerful, revealing evidence that Jesus is raised and that everything he did and said had come true and was true! From now on, they will witness and speak with a fierce boldness about Jesus and spread His Good news to the world. Things will not be the same after this.
We hear Peter in the first reading do exactly this. Peter, the denier of Jesus, the stubborn one, now gains a larger vision of his faith, he now knows his mission and the mission of the Church for the world; he has found his purpose in life.
We do not know what this pandemic means? Yet spiritually it is good that we all question in our hearts what signs we could ‘get’ from all this. What observations must we make? How can we fortify our spiritual muscles? Yes, everything stops, the pandemic dictates, but do you notice the ‘empty tomb’? Death, even if it is powerful, it is not mightier than God, Jesus lives beyond the tomb. That is why we celebrate Easter.
Can we not let ourselves be ruled by ‘the rush’ of the life we have created? A rush that centers on restlessness, and finance? The commoditization of everything? As we miss ‘the outside’, others –community, our parish, the mass, meeting people, can we then value them more after all this is done? Why is it that God matters now and not so much before? Pope Francis speaks often about creation and the environment, the indifference to our poor neighbor, a throwaway society we have become; can we take the time to ponder these things? Family? How much do we value this today? What makes us family? The elderly and grandparents, do we value them enough? The meaning and value of work? The urgent need of ‘solidarity’ for the common good? The pandemic has unearthed unfairness and inequality in our society again! This is a great time to question our Christian values.
Saint Paul, in the second readings, requires the Colossians to revise the standards by which they live:“…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.” Collosians 3:1-2
Earthy standards are great, but they are not enough!
When and if we dare to do the above, we then become a sign of hope and newness in the world. We truly become witnesses of the Risen Christ. The stone of the tomb of many people’s lives will be removed.
Let us pray that when this all settles, we refuse to settle back to just the same old way for we have seen and believed. We now know the larger picture of life.
A Blessed Easter to all and stay safe.
Fr. Anthony
View the below video for another Reflection on the readings. -
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Holy Week Mass Schedule
Dear Friends,
In an effort to continue the practice of our faith in these trying times due to the restrictions around the coronavirus, we invite you to join us online for Palm Sunday and Holy Week Masses.
Palm Sunday and Holy Week Mass Schedule:
April 5: Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord:
WATCH HERE: 8:00AM Saint Boniface with Fr. Anthony as the celebrant.
April 9: Holy Thursday of the Lord’s Supper:
WATCH HERE: 7:00PM Saint Boniface with Fr. Anthony as the celebrant.
April 10: Good Friday of the Lord's Passion:
WATCH HERE: 7:00PM Saint Boniface with Fr. Anthony as the celebrant.
April 11: Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil of the Holy Night :
WATCH HERE: 3:00PM Rome with Pope Francis as the celebrant.
WATCH HERE: 7:30PM Saint Boniface with Fr. Anthony as the celebrant.
April 12: Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord:
WATCH HERE: 5:00AM Rome with Pope Francis as the celebrant.
WATCH HERE: 10:00AM Diocese of Worcester with Bishop Robert McManus as the celebrant.
WATCH HERE: 12:30PM Los Angeles with Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as the celebrant.
VIEW HERE Saint Boniface's YouTube channel.