EASTER MESSAGE
ALLELUIA, CHRIST IS RISEN!
ALLELUIA, CHRIST IS RISEN!
Dear brothers and sisters in the Mazenodian Family,
Dear brothers and sisters in the Mazenodian Family,
After the 40-day pilgrimage of Lent, we come to the most important of Christian feasts: the resurrection of our Lord. During my time studying in Rome, I had the privilege of singing in the Coro Guida during papal celebrations at St. Peter's Basilica. The choir director was a master of liturgical music. At every rehearsal he explained how each word of a composition was matched to the Gregorian chant notation and tones. The composers attempted to express emotion and theological meaning in the text through melody. This is how today's sequence, the Victimæ Paschali Laudes became one of my favorite liturgical chants. He explained that when Mary Magdalene is asked what she witnessed, her words needed to express the amazement and joy of the resurrection. Mary's response has a gradual musical crescendo until the final stanza when it conveys the fullness of the resurrection message: Scimus Christum surrexisse a mortuis vere: Tu nobis, victor Rex miserere. Amen. Alleluia. (We know that Christ has truly risen from the dead. You, our victorious King, show us your mercy!) Today, as we gather in our local communities to celebrate the triumph of life over death, may our singing, our prayer, our worship, and all our actions express the emotion that Mary Magdalene and the first witnesses to the Lord's resurrection felt deep within their souls. If Lent called us to a more subdued pilgrimage of penance, it was to prepare us for the pilgrimage of ecstatic joy experienced at Easter upon encountering Jesus Christ, whom today's sequence reminds us is our hope! As I worked on this letter to you, I had the Pope's Easter Vigil Mass playing in the background. I was inspired by these words from the Holy Father's homily:
After the 40-day pilgrimage of Lent, we come to the most important of Christian feasts: the resurrection of our Lord. During my time studying in Rome, I had the privilege of singing in the Coro Guida during papal celebrations at St. Peter's Basilica. The choir director was a master of liturgical music. At every rehearsal he explained how each word of a composition was matched to the Gregorian chant notation and tones. The composers attempted to express emotion and theological meaning in the text through melody. This is how today's sequence, the Victimæ Paschali Laudes became one of my favorite liturgical chants. He explained that when Mary Magdalene is asked what she witnessed, her words needed to express the amazement and joy of the resurrection. Mary's response has a gradual musical crescendo until the final stanza when it conveys the fullness of the resurrection message: Scimus Christum surrexisse a mortuis vere: Tu nobis, victor Rex miserere. Amen. Alleluia. (We know that Christ has truly risen from the dead. You, our victorious King, show us your mercy!) Today, as we gather in our local communities to celebrate the triumph of life over death, may our singing, our prayer, our worship, and all our actions express the emotion that Mary Magdalene and the first witnesses to the Lord's resurrection felt deep within their souls. If Lent called us to a more subdued pilgrimage of penance, it was to prepare us for the pilgrimage of ecstatic joy experienced at Easter upon encountering Jesus Christ, whom today's sequence reminds us is our hope! As I worked on this letter to you, I had the Pope's Easter Vigil Mass playing in the background. I was inspired by these words from the Holy Father's homily:
"There are times when we may feel that a great stone blocks the door of our hearts, stifling life, extinguishing hope, imprisoning us in the tomb of our fears and regrets, and standing in the way of joy and hope. We encounter such 'tombstones' on our journey through life in all the experiences and situations that rob us of enthusiasm and of the strength to persevere. We encounter them at times of sorrow: in the emptiness left by the death of our loved ones, in the failures and fears that hold us back from accomplishing the good we mean to do[...] In the darkness, let an unexpected shout of joy resound: He is alive; he is risen! And you, my brothers and sisters, small and great ... you who are weary of life, who feel unworthy to sing... let a new flame be kindled in your heart, let new vitality be heard in your voice. It is the Pasch of the Lord; it is the feast of the living."
"There are times when we may feel that a great stone blocks the door of our hearts, stifling life, extinguishing hope, imprisoning us in the tomb of our fears and regrets, and standing in the way of joy and hope. We encounter such 'tombstones' on our journey through life in all the experiences and situations that rob us of enthusiasm and of the strength to persevere. We encounter them at times of sorrow: in the emptiness left by the death of our loved ones, in the failures and fears that hold us back from accomplishing the good we mean to do[...] In the darkness, let an unexpected shout of joy resound: He is alive; he is risen! And you, my brothers and sisters, small and great ... you who are weary of life, who feel unworthy to sing... let a new flame be kindled in your heart, let new vitality be heard in your voice. It is the Pasch of the Lord; it is the feast of the living."
I pray that this Easter help each of us to bring the joy of new life in Christ to the many who continue to live entombed by the suffering found in our broken world. May Christ who defeated death and broke open the tomb grant us the courage to show others how he can break open their tombs to experience the gift of Easter joy.
I pray that this Easter help each of us to bring the joy of new life in Christ to the many who continue to live entombed by the suffering found in our broken world. May Christ who defeated death and broke open the tomb grant us the courage to show others how he can break open their tombs to experience the gift of Easter joy.
Wishing you a happy and blessed Easter.
Wishing you a happy and blessed Easter.
In Christ and Mary Immaculate,
In Christ and Mary Immaculate,
Fr. David Muñoz-López, O.M.I.,
Fr. David Muñoz-López, O.M.I.,
Director of the U.S. Mazenodian Family Office of Activities and Planning
Director of the U.S. Mazenodian Family Office of Activities and Planning
Prayer
Prayer
Lord of Easter's Promise,
Lord of Easter's Promise,
I live in faith of the Resurrection,
I live in faith of the Resurrection,
but such is the nature of my faith
but such is the nature of my faith
that so much of me remains entombed.
that so much of me remains entombed.
Break open the tomb.
Break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my compassion, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my compassion, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my sense of mercy, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my sense of mercy, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my humility, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my humility, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my humanity, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my humanity, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my love for my Heavenly Father, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my love for my Heavenly Father, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my sense of joy, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my sense of joy, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my willingness to forgive, break open the tomb.
Where I've buried my willingness to forgive, break open the tomb.
Lord, in you I've found a Savior no grave can withstand.
Lord, in you I've found a Savior no grave can withstand.
Help me to roll away this stone
Help me to roll away this stone
And find the miracle of new life
And find the miracle of new life
That I may live more fully in your saving grace.
That I may live more fully in your saving grace.
Amen
Amen
"Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal."
"Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal."
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you.”
to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.
Amen. Alleluia.