EASTER  SUNDAY Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia!   ENTRANCE ANTIPHON 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! INTRODUCTION Today, the Church invites us to rejoice greatly, on account of the unique victory Jesus obtained by his resurrection. For Jesus, his resurrection from the dead meant a double victory. It was a personal triumph over death and also he destroyed the power of death for each one of us. That’s why we profess during the Mass “dying he destroyed our death and rising he restored our life.” PENITENTIAL RITE Jesus has raised us from the death of sin into the new life in the Spirit. Let us therefore prepare ourselves to celebrate this new life in this Eucharist by repenting of our sins and renewing our faith in Jesus. (Pause) 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 thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord, Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin 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. OPENING PRAYER Let us pray. 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… FIRST READING (In this reading, Apostle Peter gives a powerful testimony to the resurrection of Jesus and proclaims that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sin.) A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (10:34a, 37-43) Peter opened his mouth and said: “The word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached; how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest; not to all the people but to us, who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” This is the Word of the Lord PSALM (117) Response: This day was made by the Lord; we rejoice and are glad. Alleluia! Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end. Let the sons of Israel say: “His love has no end.” R./ The Lord’s right hand has triumphed; his right hand raised me up. I shall not die, I shall live and recount his deeds. R./ The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone. This is the work of the Lord, a marvel in our eyes. R./ SECOND READING (As members of the body of Christ, we share in the victory of Christ and become a new creation in him.) A reading from the Letter of St Paul to the Colossians (3:1-4) If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. This is the Word of the Lord SEQUENCE Christians, to the Paschal Victim offer your thankful praises. A lamb the sheep redeemed: Christ, who alone is sinless, reconciled 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. Yea, Christ my hope is risen: to Galilee he goes before you.” Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining: Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning. Amen. Alleluia! ACCLAMATION (1 Cor 5:7b-8a) Alleluia, alleluia! Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival. Alleluia! GOSPEL (Love for Jesus should enable us to recognise him as John’s love for him helped him to discover Jesus.) A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St John (20:1-9) On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. This is the Gospel of the Lord After the homily, the rite of the Renewal of Baptismal Promises is said, ending with the sprinkling the people with the holy water. The Profession of Faith is omitted. RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL PROMISES 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: Cel: Do you Satan? All: I do. Cel: And all his works? All: I do. Cel: And all his empty promises? All: I do. Cel: Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth? All: I do. Cel: 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. Cel: 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. Cel: 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. PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL Cel.: Dear sisters and brothers, on this joyous day as we celebrate the victory of Jesus, our Lord and God, he renews our lives through grace of the Paschal Mystery. Let us ask our heavenly Father to bring us to the life and radiance of Jesus Christ that we may truly live and radiate our new life in Christ. Response: Father, grant us the peace and joy of the risen Lord. 1. That the joy of the risen Christ quicken all the leaders of the Church to witness to the new life of glory which the resurrection promises. 2. That all the people in the world receive new hope and life through the resurrection of Jesus and strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ. 3. That the people who continue to remain in darkness of selfishness and pride, and refuse to experience the new life in Christ, may be touched by Him who removes all sin and darkness. 4. That all the nations and their leaders come to experience the peace and joy of the risen Lord and continually strive to communicate the same to all their citizens. Cel: God, our loving Father, through the resurrection of your Son, you gave us true peace, joy and forgiveness of our sins. Hear our prayers that we may truly experience your Son’s resurrection and come to share in the everlasting glory of eternal life. We ask this through the same Christ our Risen Lord. PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS Lord, with Easter joy we offer you the sacrifice by which your Church is reborn and nourished through Christ our Lord. PREFACE (P 21) Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and every where 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: All: Holy, holy, holy… COMMUNION ANTIPHON Christ has become our paschal sacrifice; let us feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, alleluia. PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Father of love, watch over your Church and bring us to the glory of the resurrection promised by this Easter sacrament. We ask this… SOLEMN  BLESSING 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. Amen. Through the resurrection of his Son God has granted us healing. May he fulfil his promises, and bless you with eternal life. Amen. 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. Amen. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit. Amen.