Death and Resurrection of Christ
/a contemplative prayer/
Download: New edition of the prayer booklet for the celebration of Sunday – format doc , format pdf
Download: Death and Resurrection of Christ /a contemplative prayer/
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Introduction
The spiritual resurrection of the Church will begin through a restored celebration of the Day of Resurrection – Sunday.
Early Christians had four fundamental spiritual pillars: a) the apostles’ teaching, b) fellowship (koinonia), c) common prayers, d) the Eucharist (see Acts 2:42). All these four elements need to be realized on the day which is wholly consecrated to God. It is not sufficient just to attend the Divine Liturgy (the Eucharist), but Christians also need to gather in small communities (cells). Again, the pattern for us is the Apostles and early Christians. They not only attended the temple but also gathered in their homes.
We bring forward a model for celebration of the Resurrection Day (every Sunday) as well as prayer models for contemplation of the sufferings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
5 parts of Celebration of Sunday. Part I – Resurrection of Christ
First hour
The Resurrection of Christ
a) Reflection on God’s Word
Turn your eyes towards the sky of stars. Millions of stars. They all move according to laws established by God. And how big they are! The Sun is 1.300.000 times as large as our Earth. Sirius is 8 times larger than the Sun and there are even bigger celestial bodies! The Milky Way is 20.000 light years away. Many other constellations are millions of light years away. One can observe wonderful laws on our little Earth too: conditions for life, the mystery of life and its transmission, the wonders of animal instincts. The mystery of human life: immune system, activity of the brain or heart or lungs, nervous system, sight. Moreover, the mystery of mental and spiritual life, desire for happiness, conscience… A series of wonders! Belief in Darwin’s atheistic ideology is contrary to critical science and reason. By our reason we come to a knowledge of the invisible Creator, the Author of the creation. There are miracles all around us. Let us open our eyes! God works miracles in our lives as well.
5 parts of Celebration of Sunday – Part II
Second Hour
Angels appear to the women
a) Reflection on God’s Word
On Sunday, very early in the morning, while it is still dark, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary come to the garden where Jesus was buried. Near the tomb they are suddenly frightened by a great earthquake. Here an angel of the Lord appears to them. They see him descend from heaven, come and roll back the large stone from the door of the tomb and sit on it. Perplexed, the women look at the angel’s face. His countenance is like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow shining in the sun. Even the soldiers guarding Jesus’ tomb are witnesses of this glaring appearance. But now they are lying on the ground like dead men, shaking for fear of the angel’s presence. Likewise the women are frightened, yet they look at the angel with hope.
Now the angel says to them: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.” (Mt 28:5-7)
5 parts of Celebration of Sunday – Part III
Third hour
Jesus appears to Peter by the tomb
a) Reflection on God’s Word
What feelings and thoughts filled Peter’s heart when on Friday, before the rooster crowed, he publicly denied Jesus three times – cursing and swearing that he did not know Him, that he had nothing to do with Him?! Fear and, moreover, remorse for his betrayal of his Lord tormented his soul. The other apostles likewise are in deep sorrow and fear.
And now on Sunday morning Mary Magdalene comes running, hurriedly knocks at the door and cries: “The tomb is empty!” Shortly afterwards the other women, too, come running and announce the same.
Peter and John resolve that they will go themselves and find out what the truth is. They run to the tomb. Peter goes in… “Then the other disciple went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.” (Jn 20:2-10) But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping… Soon after, she met Jesus Himself. “Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples: ‘I have seen the Lord.’” (Jn 20:18) Not long after, the other women came who also told the apostles that they had seen the Lord, that they held Him by the feet and worshipped Him (see Mt 28:9-10).
5 parts of Celebration of Sunday – Part IV
Watch this video on: https://youtu.be/LdTi1vyx0hk
https://rumble.com/v4qdgsc-celebration-of-sunday-iv.html
https://cos.tv/videos/play/52167672542303232
Fourth hour
Baptism with the Holy Spirit
a) Reflection on God’s Word
Jesus said: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me.” (Acts 1:8) The condition for receiving the Holy Spirit is repentance: “Repent… and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you … and to all who are afar off…” (Acts 2:38-39)
It is necessary, through continual repentance, to receive the Holy Spirit again and again! It means to get out of the darkness of sin into God’s light, out of lie into the truth, out of death into life! Standing into light always involves self-denial. Every time we repent, i.e. enter God’s presence and here confess our sin and belief in the power of Jesus’ blood, the Holy Spirit comes and gives us the light and strength to know and do the will of God! “The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Rom 8:26) If we receive the Holy Spirit in fullness, the spirit of the world must retreat from our soul!
5 parts of Celebration of Sunday – Part V
Fifth hour
Emmaus
a) Reflection on God’s Word
What feelings and thoughts filled the hearts of the disciples when they left Jerusalem and on the road to Emmaus were joined by Jesus, whom, however, they did not recognize? Jesus first asked them: “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him: “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” And He asked: “What things?” So they said to Him: “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death… But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.” Then the disciples told Him about the women having seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. And Jesus said to them: “Ofoolishones,andslowof heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Their hearts burnt within them while He opened the Scriptures to them. Short after, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him in the breaking of bread, but He vanished from their sight.
Jesus appears to more than five hundred brethren in Galilee
a) Reflection on God’s Word
“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.’” (Mt 28:16-19)
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mk 16:16-18)
And Jesus said: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20) Jesus was with the apostles, and He is with us too, but we also must be with Him. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). His promise is true today as well but the condition is to preach the Gospel in power and to be ready even to lay down one’s life for its sake and for the sake of Christ.
