Easter

Sunday, April 4, 2021

Easter is the most significant celebration in the church year. Catholics celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Easter is actually an octave, lasting eight days.

Easter Sunday Readings (Vigil Mass)

(At least three, and up to all seven of the readings from the Old Testament below are used at the Vigil Mass. The third reading from Exodus 14 must always be included.)

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• First Reading – Genesis 1:1—2:2 : “Then God said: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
• First Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 104: “Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.”
• Alternate First Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 33: “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”
• Second Reading – Genesis 22:1-18: “in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing”
• Second Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 16: “You are my inheritance, O Lord.”
• Third Reading – Exodus 14:15—15:1: “Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day”
• Third Responsorial Psalm – Exodus 15: “Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.”
• Fourth Reading – Isaiah 54:5-14: “your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, called God of all the earth.”
• Fourth Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 30: “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.”
• Fifth Reading – Isaiah 55:1-11: “I will renew with you the everlasting covenant”
• Fifth Responsorial Psalm – Isaiah 12: “You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.”
• Sixth Reading – Baruch 3:9-15, 32–4:4: “Learn where prudence is, where strength, where understanding”
• Sixth Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 19: “Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.”
• Seventh Reading – Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28: “I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts.”
• Seventh Responsorial Psalm (when baptism is celebrated) – Psalm 42: “Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.”
• Seventh Responsorial Psalm (when baptism is not celebrated) – Isaiah 12: “You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.”
• Seventh Responsorial Psalm (alternate, when baptism is not celebrated) – Psalm 51: “Create a clean heart in me, O God.”
• Epistle – Romans 6:3-11: “We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.”
• Epistle Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 118: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Israel say, His mercy endures forever.”
• Gospel – Mark 16:1-7: “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here.”

Easter Sunday Readings (Mass during the day)

• First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43: “This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us,”
• Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. (or Alleluia)”
• Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 : “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”
• Alternate Second Reading: I Corinthians 5:6b-8: “For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.”
• Gospel: John 20:1-9: “Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.”

Ideas and resources for Easter Sunday

Make Jars with the Jelly Bean Prayer to Prepare for Easter

The Jelly Bean Prayer is a fun Easter prayer for your family or youth ministry. Make up some jars of jelly beans to give away with the prayer during the Octave of Easter. Put them on display for the rest of Lent to remember that we are walking this Lenten journey with the hope of celebrating the resurrection of our Lord on Easter. #hope #LentenJourney

GLOW Dodgeball Game (for Youth Ministry or Youth Group)

GLOW dodge ball puts a fun twist on your traditional dodge ball game. It is a glow in the dark version of traditional dodgeball. Play it at night or if you can darken your gym you can play in any time. This is a great game for an open gym night with your teens.

Let us go forward with the joy of Jesus’ Resurrection

Let us go forward with the joy of Jesus’ Resurrection, knowing He is always by our side! – Pope Francis

The Empty Tomb – Reflection and Discussion Questions

This reflection has youth imagine themselves at the discovery of the empty tomb. How will they respond? This reflection is based on the resurrection account from the gospel of Mark, which is read at the Easter Vigil Mass.