Via Lucis

Reflection: On the first day of the week, at the dawning of the new creation, Jesus arose from the dead. No one saw the event, yet like the apostles, we are called to be witnesses of this central faith event. The light and power of Christ’s death and resurrection has become the pattern for our living. May we recognize Christ’s dying and rising in our midst.

Prayer: This is the day, Lord God, that You have made! Raising Christ from the dead, and raising us with Christ, You have fashioned for Yourself a new people. As we hear the word that brings salvation, make our hearts burn within us. Through the presence of every friend and stranger, reveal to us the face of the One who had first to suffer, but who has entered now into glory, Jesus Christ, our Passover and our Peace, living and reigning with You, forever and ever. Amen.

Sing: (tune of O Sons & Daughters)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
That Easter morn, at break of day,
The faithful women went their way
To seek the tomb where Jesus lay, Alleluia! 

and said to Him, ‘Sir, if you carried Him away, tell me where you laid Him, and I will take Him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni,’ which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, ‘Stop holding on to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’ Mary of Magdalen went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ and what He told her” (John 20: 14b-18).

Reflection: In the fourth gospel, Mary Magdalen is given the mission to carry the good news of the resurrection to the apostles and the disciples. Mary had been in the company of Jesus and His followers, and is given the privilege to announce the hope of new life. She is known over the centuries as “the apostle to the Apostles.” Jesus called her by name, gave her the eyes of faith, and called her to give a unique personal witness to her friends in the faith community.

Prayer: God our Father, You will that all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of Your truth. Send workers into Your great harvest that the Gospel may be preached to every creature. May Your people, gathered together by the word of life and strengthened by the power of the sacraments, advance in the way of salvation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Sing: (tune of O Sons & Daughters)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Not Magdalen, not Salome,
Nor James’ own mother then delay
Embalming Jesus’ corpse that day. Alleluia.

And He said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into His glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them what referred to Him in all the scriptures” (Luke 24: 15, 25-27).

Reflection: The Emmaus road is the story of the Christian life. These disciples were walking away from Jerusalem and the apostolic faith community in defeat and dejection. They had lost hope. We too, have moments of despair and desolation. The Risen Lord Jesus accompanies us along the road, even when we are moving in the wrong direction. Only the Lord can “break open” the Word in order to help us understand the stories of our lives, especially suffering, and read them in harmony with the pattern of the Scriptures. Only the Lord can rekindle our energy and our resolve to devote ourselves to what is most important in life.

Prayer: Lord God, as disciples on our pilgrimage, we implore Jesus Christ: stay with us, Lord. Open our hearts to true conversion and, as we have known the Lord in the breaking of the bread, so make us witnesses of a new humanity, renewed, reconciled and at peace in Your love. Send us as heralds of the repentance and forgiveness You offer to all in the name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with You, forever and ever. Amen.

Sing: (tune of O Sons & Daughters)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
That night the apostles met in fear;
Amidst them came the Lord most dear,
And said My peace be on all here. Alleluia.

because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have,’ And as He said this, He showed them His hands and His feet” (Luke 24: 38-40).

Reflection: The disciples on the road to Emmaus quickly returned to the other disciples in Jerusalem with “burning hearts.” Their despair had been reversed and they were eager to convince the others that Jesus was alive. Jesus the Christ is always eager to gather the community of disciples at the table of faith and to show them that He has risen with His wounds glorified. All our wounds will one day be glorified. We seek to understand how the Risen Lord invites us to be “wounded healers,” recognizing now that the Lord desires us to be ambassadors of reconciliation, while we ourselves are being forgiven and healed.

Prayer: God of unchanging power and light, look with favor and mercy on the entire community of Your Church. Bring lasting salvation to the human family, so that the world may see the fallen lifted up, the old made new, and all things brought to perfection, through Him who is our origin, our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Sing: (tune of O Sons & Daughters)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
My wounded side, O Thomas see;
Behold My hands, My feet, said He
Not faithless, but believing be. Alleluia.

Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained'” (John 20: 19b, 20b-23).

Reflection: Even though the doors of the Upper Room were bolted shut, the Risen Lord pierced through all fear and united the hearts of the disciples with the gift of peace. Deep inner peace is the root and source of the peace and joy that the world cannot give. The Risen Lord calls us to seek peace always through a non-violent commitment to conflict resolution and thus transform the world, relationship by relationship.

Prayer: God of perfect peace, violence and cruelty can have no part of You. May those who are at peace with one another hold fast to the good will that unites them; may those who are enemies forget their hatred and be healed. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sing: (tune of O Sons & Daughters)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
No longer Thomas then denied,
He saw the feet, the hands, the side;
You are my Lord and God, he cried, Alleluia!

full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, ‘Come, have breakfast.’ And none of His disciples dared to ask Him, ‘Who are You?’ because they realized it was the Lord” (John 21: 10-12).

Reflection: After the crucifixion, the apostles returned to their former way of life. Out on the familiar Sea of Galilee, these expert fishers find themselves ineffective and baffled because not even a single fish was caught. From the shore, the Risen Lord guides them and directs their nets until they are filled to overflowing. As He prepares breakfast for them, He nourishes their hearts and promises them that they can also be fed by making disciples in His name. He calls them to an entirely new way of fishing – fishing for people.

Prayer: Father in heaven, author of all truth, a people once in darkness has listened to Your Word and followed Your Son as He rose from the tomb. Hear the prayer of this newborn people and strengthen Your Church to answer Your call. May we rise and come forth into the light of day to stand in Your presence until eternity dawns. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sing: (tune of O Sons & Daughters)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
On Sunday morn at break of day
The sad disciples went their way
To see the tomb where Jesus lay. Alleluia.

Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ and he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know everything, You know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep…. Follow Me'” (John 21: 15, 17b, 19b).

Reflection: The Risen Lord directs His attention to Peter whose embarrassing three-fold denial was still ringing in his heart. The questions posed by Jesus help Peter to find reconciliation and to embrace his new mission to tend and feed the sheep. Their encounter reminds us that forgiveness is always available, even for the most serious of mistakes we can make. This warm embrace of forgiveness strengthens our resolve to be reconcilers and healers in the Spirit of Jesus. Only love can overcome guilt and deception. Only love and forgiveness can make us whole.

Prayer: Father, fill our hearts with the fire of Your love and the desire to ensure justice for our brothers and sisters. By sharing the good things You give us, may we secure justice and equality for every human being, an end to all division, and a human society built on love and peace. Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Sing: (tune of O Sons & Daughters)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
An angel clad in white they see,
Who sat and spoke unto the three,
Your Lord has gone to Galilee, Alleluia!

went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs” (Mark 16: 19-20).

Reflection: The Scriptures do not portray the Ascension as a day of sadness. While still looking up at the skies, the disciples were consoled by the continuing presence of the Lord. They return to the familiar surroundings of the Upper Room, with Mary, the mother of the Lord, to pray in anticipation of their mission. In this “original novena,” we continue to implore the Risen Lord to be the center of our lives and to keep us focused as a jubilant pilgrim people.

Prayer: Eternal God, clothe us now with Your power. With the eyes of our hearts enlightened, may we come to understand the immeasurable greatness of Your power at work in us who believe. In that strength, may we boldly pronounce the Good News of our salvation to everyone. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sing: (tune of O Sons & Daughters)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Our humble thanks to God let’s show
And fitting praise on Him bestow
For Paschal blessings here below. Alleluia.

with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and His brothers” (Acts 1: 13a, 14).

Reflection: Throughout the history of the Church, there have been apostolic movements dedicated to prayerful contemplation, and others resulting in transforming action. As we have crossed the threshold into a new millennium, we look to the “Upper Room” as a symbolic place where we return over and over again, so that we can become “contemplatives in action.” As persons who are both prayerful and energetic in service to the Gospel, we must always keep vigil for the advent of the Risen Lord, with the flame of faith alive in our hearts.  Only the Lord can refresh our spirits and renew us in the ministries that flow from our Baptism and Confirmation.

Prayer: Father most holy, see Your Church gathered here in prayerful worship like the first disciples and Mary in the Upper Room. Grant that we may accomplish, in the joy of the Holy Spirit, all that You give us to do in the world. May we gladly share in Christ’s sufferings so as to rejoice when His glory is revealed. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sing: (tune of O Sons & Daughters)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
On this most holy day of days,
To God your hearts and voices raise,
In laud and jubilee and praise. Alleluia!