Easter Homily 2023
Franklin Fong, OFM
April 9, 2023
All the readings today for Easter Sunday connect the common topic of resurrection. So, what did the hope of resurrection mean to Jesus? What is the meaning of our hope in a risen life?
At Easter time we look to Jesus as the model of our expectations since he reveals to us just what to hope for and how to hope, especially when human failure and rejection tempt us to believe that our human life is merely living an illusion and even dying an illusion.
The first reading from Acts of the Apostles talks about how Peter lives his life after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Peter is not shy about sharing what happened in the life of Jesus before and after his crucifixion. Peter specifically says that once we come to have faith we are to preach and witness to the mercy of God through Jesus.
The Psalm 118 speaks of the work of God in building our earthly life with Jesus as the cornerstone. Through these actions of God, we are to rejoice and be glad for God’s work to build our world.
The second reading from St Paul’s letter to the Colossians reflects on the mystery of resurrection. St Paul specifically tells us not to be preoccupied with earthly goals and standards but rather that our focus must be on living in God’s mystery and not in sin.
The reading from the Gospel of John is about how Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb of where Jesus was buried to bring oils and perfumes to anoint his burial site. At the tomb site, she finds the stone which closed the tomb was moved to the side and leaving the tomb open. She then realizes that Jesus’ body is not there and jumps to the conclusion that someone had come to steal the body of Jesus.
Mary then runs to find Peter and John to tell them what she found. Peter and John then run to the tomb and also see that there was no sign of Jesus’ body. The only thing they noticed was that the burial cloth was folded and placed to the side. They came to begin to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead !
So from the first reading, the faith in the resurrection reminds us of our responsibility to proclaim the mystery and to be active and living witnesses to the resurrected Christ, like Peter and the apostles.
We don’t just believe. we must exert effort from our head, heart and hands, to proclaim the good news of the resurrection.
Evangelization today is nothing else than the old proclamation of the Risen Lord with a new vigor, enthusiasm and understandable forms.
The take home message of the second reading is that we don’t sacrifice prayer and mass on Sundays and other days, in favor of money, work and leisure.
We are to live, in our resurrected or redeemed bodies and not to live as if we were still dead to life, with no movement, with no joy, and with no responsibility.
The take home message from the Gospel of John verses is that all parishioners must seek Christ and his message of peace, joy, love and salvation through active participation in the liturgy, ongoing spiritual formations and dialogues with others.
Our parishes, communities and families are places where we can deepen our faith and experience God’s mercy. We should use the resources of our time, space, and money to help proclaim that Jesus is truly risen and not lying in some tomb.
My hope and goal as your Sunday preacher is to make you all closer to Jesus and more committed to him in your daily lives.
To help you with your prayer life during this Easter season, I have created an Easter meditation booklet for our Chinese Catholic Community. So take some time in the coming week to reflect on where have you put Christ in your life? How do you nurture this presence of Christ in your head, heart and hands?
So, brother and sisters of the Chinese Catholic Community
that is the Good News for this Easter Sunday !
Alleluia, Alleluia !
(中文翻譯.原文以英文為準.)
四旬期甲年復活主日 (04/09/2023)
鄺神父主日講道中譯本
讀經一: 宗徒大事錄 10: 34a, 37-43
讀經二: 聖保祿宗徒致哥羅森人書 3: 1-4
若望福音 20: 1-9
今天復活節主日的所有讀經都與復活這個共同話題有關。那麼, 復活的希望對耶穌意味著什麼? 我們盼望復活的生命有何意義?
在復活節期間, 我們將耶穌視為我們期望的典範, 因為他向我們揭示了希望的內容和希望的方式, 尤其是當人類的失敗和被拒誘使我們相信我們的人生只是一種幻想甚至正在死亡時一種錯覺。
宗徒大事錄的第一篇讀經講述了伯多祿在耶穌死而復活後的生活。伯多祿並不羞於分享耶穌被釘十字架前後生活中發生的事情。伯多祿特別說, 一旦我們有了信心, 我們就要通過耶穌去宣講和見證天主的憐憫。
聖詠118 談到天主以耶穌為屋角基石建造我們塵世生活的工作。通過天主的這些作為, 我們要為天主建造我們世界的工程而歡欣鼓舞。
聖保祿寫給哥羅森人書的讀經二反映了復活的奧秘。聖保祿特別告訴我們不要專注於世俗的目標和標準, 而是我們的重點必須放在生活在天主的奧秘中而不是在罪惡中。
若望福音的讀經是關於瑪達肋納的瑪利亞如何前往埋葬耶穌的墳墓, 帶來油和香水來傅抹他的墓地。在墓地, 她發現關閉墳墓的石頭被移到一邊, 使墳墓敞開著。然後她意識到耶穌的身體不在那裡, 並得出結論說有人來偷了耶穌的身體。
瑪利亞(瑪達肋納)然後跑去找伯多祿和若望, 告訴他們她發現了什麼。伯多禄和若望然後跑到墳墓那裡, 也看到沒有耶穌屍體的跡象。他們唯一注意到的是, 裹屍布被折疊起來放在一邊。他們開始相信耶穌已經從死裡復活了!
因此, 從讀經一開始, 對復活的信仰就提醒我們, 我們有責任宣揚奧跡, 並像伯多祿和宗徒一樣, 積極地為復活的基督作見證。
我們不只是相信。我們必須用頭腦、心靈和雙手付出努力, 宣揚復活的好消息。
今天的福傳無非是復活之主以新的活力、熱情和可理解的形式進行的舊宣告。
讀經二帶回家的信息是, 我們不會為了金錢、工作和休閒而犧牲週日和其他日子的祈禱和彌撒。
我們要在我們復活或救贖的身體裡生活, 而不是像我們仍然死去一樣生活, 沒有行動, 沒有快樂, 沒有責任。
從若望福音的經文中帶回家的信息是, 所有教區教友都必須通過積極參與禮儀、持續的精神培育和與他人的對話來尋求基督和他的和平、喜悅、愛和救贖的信息。
我們的堂區、團體和家庭是我們可以加深信仰和體驗天主憐憫的地方。我們應該利用我們的時間、空間和金錢資源來幫助宣告耶穌真的復活了, 而不是躺在墳墓裡。
作為你們的主日宣講者,我的希望和目標是讓你們所有人更接近耶穌, 並在日常生活中更加委身於祂。
為了幫助您在這個復活期間過上祈禱生活, 我為我們的華人天主教團體製作了一本復活節默想手冊。所以在接下來的一周里花點時間反思一下:
- 你把基督放在你生活中的什麼地方?
- 你如何培養基督在你的頭腦、心靈和雙手中的存在?
所以, 華人天主教團體的弟兄姊妹們, 這是這個復活節主日的好消息!
阿肋路亞, 阿肋路亞!
