The Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus is the central Christian belief that God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion, validating his identity as the Son of God, defeating sin, and promising eternal life to believers. It is marked by the empty tomb, reported appearances to disciples, and celebrated annually on Easter Sunday.
Easter is more than the greatest Christian feast, Easter Sunday symbolizes the fulfillment of our faith as Christians. Through His Death, Christ destroyed our bondage to sin; through His Resurrection, He brought us the promise of new life, both in Heaven and on earth. His own prayer, "Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven," begins to be fulfilled on Easter Sunday.
Christ had predicted that he would rise again on the third day after his Death. On that first Easter morning, the stone sealing the tomb was rolled back and his Body was missing. Christ appeared to St. Mary Magdalene, to the holy women, to St. Peter, and later to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. In the evening, he appeared to the assembled Apostles. He would continue to appear and spend time with them for the next forty days until his Ascension.
The Resurrection was the greatest miracle Christ performed. It proved without a doubt that Christ is the Son of God. Consequently, it also proved the truth of all that he had preached and all that is taught by the Church he established.
CCC 651-652: "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain." 1Cor 15:14 The Resurrection above all constitutes the confirmation of all Christ's works and teachings. All truths, even those most inaccessible to human reason, find their justification if Christ by his Resurrection has given the definitive proof of his divine authority, which he had promised. Christ's Resurrection is the fulfillment of the promises both of the Old Testament and of Jesus himself during his earthly life. Mt 28:6; Mk 16:7; Lk 24:6-7,26-27,44-48 The phrase "in accordance with the Scriptures" 1 Cor 15:3-4 indicates that Christ's Resurrection fulfilled these predictions.”
With Christ’s Resurrection, the Old Testament covenants were perfectly fulfilled. With Christ, the faith of Abraham in the one true God was made available to all people and nations, not just the descendant of Abraham. The Passover established under Moses was all along an anticipation of the coming Messiah. The great Jewish feast marked the occasion for the fulfillment of Christ’s glorious mission on earth as he instituted the Eucharist (the New Passover), established the priesthood, and completed his Passover with his Death on the Cross. The Church established by Christ fulfills the “universal” aspect of the Davidic Covenant – the promise that the Son of David would be Lord of all the nations.
While the sacrifices of the Old Testament were imperfect, needing to repeat them time and time again, the sacrifice of Christ, the Son of God, is perfect. Like God himself, Christ’s sacrifice is eternal and has infinite value, its benefits encompassing all of human history. Its merit is enough to repair the damaged caused by the sins of the world, and it contains enough grace for every human being until the end of time. In this sense, Jesus will never be sacrificed again, and in this light we can properly understand the meaning of Jesus as the eternal High Priest.
The sacrifice of the Mass is Christ’s gift, which allows us to participate in his sacrifice and to receive the benefits won for us on Calvary. The Holy Eucharist makes Christ’s eternal sacrifice, offered once and for all on Calvary, real and present to us in our own lives.
Each time the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered, the Eucharist transcends time and place, making that moment on Calvary, two thousand years ago, present on the altar. “The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice.” The unique sacrifice of Christ on the Cross is re-presented (made present) in each and every Mass that is validly celebrated. Each time we attend the Liturgy of the Eucharist, Christ invites us to participate in the Body and Blood given up for us so that we may have a share in his divine life.
CCC 1407: “The Eucharist is the heart and the summit of the Church's life, for in it Christ associates his Church and all her members with his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving offered once for all on the cross to his Father; by this sacrifice he pours out the graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church.”
—Deacon Gerry Flamm
“Dear children, The poison of selfishness and hatred rules human hearts and that is why you do not have peace. I am calling you, little children: be love and my extended hands to all those whom you meet. In humility, pray for peace and work on reconciliation among people, so that it may be good for every person on earth. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
