Bishop Deeley celebrates the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday
“Grant, we pray, that we who keep the solemnity of the Lord’s resurrection may, through the renewal brought by your Spirit, rise up in the light of life.” – Bishop Robert Deeley
Joyfully proclaiming that “the Lord is truly risen, alleluia,” Bishop Robert Deeley celebrated the Mass of the Resurrection of Our Lord on Easter Sunday, April 9, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland.
“Happy Easter! The words we hear proclaiming alleluia are a joy,” the bishop said. “To him be glory and power for all the ages of eternity, alleluia, alleluia.”
The bishop called Christ’s resurrection, which faithful around the world gather to celebrate on Easter, a gift of the Father’s love and the fulfillment of a promise.
“God had promised to save his people. He had promised a Savior. This morning, we rejoice: The Savior has come. His name is Jesus. He gave himself to death in sacrifice for our sins. The Father raised him up to life. The Savior has conquered death. He lives forever with God. He brings us the Father’s love and mercy. He is not just our brother or our friend or our model; He is our God. His life, his love, is the cause of our joy,” the bishop said.
The bishop told parishioners that while eggs and bunnies are appropriate signs of the return of spring and new life that we see this time of year, the true message of Easter is found in reflecting on the good news of the Gospel.
“That good news is the simple but faith-filled story of the fact that God has heard us in our need and answered our call for salvation by sending his son, Jesus the Christ, to show us how much he cares for us. Belief is at the heart of the message he gives us,” the bishop said.
The bishop said that belief changes the world, despite the societal challenges we face and the violence we see, whether in Ukraine, Nicaragua, or our own American cities.
“Some might ask, how is it possible to believe? But all of the problems we encounter in our society do not change what brings us together this morning. When we arose today, Easter was waiting for us. The Risen Lord is with us. The chocolates and the other candies, the colored eggs, the special breads, and the Peeps tell us that this is a day of celebration. But it is more than a day. We need to seize for ourselves what John and Peter and Mary Magdalene came to know on Easter morning. What captured them and brought them great joy was knowing that God is faithful. In the resurrection of Jesus, he fulfills his promise. Trust in God. That is what the Gospel tells us. He is the source of our life,” the bishop said.
Our life in Christ began with baptism, and during Easter Masses, the faithful renew their baptismal promises, renouncing sin, the lure of evil, and Satan, while affirming their belief in God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
As a memorial of our baptism, the bishop also walked through the congregation, sprinkling people with water that had been blessed the night before at the Easter Vigil Mass.
“God has given us a new life in him. That life is ours today in baptism,” the bishop said. “God has shown his love for us. Jesus is truly risen. And as Jesus promises, so will all those we love and the many strangers we meet for the first time when we find ourselves in what we call heaven.”
The bishop called on the faithful to live God’s message as baptism calls us to do and to carry his love to others.
“Resurrected life begins now. It does not wait for us to die,” he said.
The beauty of the celebration of Easter was evident at the cathedral, not only in the Easter lilies and colorful tulips with which the sanctuary was decorated or the beautiful hymns sung by the choir, but in the hundreds of parishioners who attended the Mass, so many that chairs were set up in the narthex at the back of the church.
Throughout the Mass, the paschal candle, which was lit for the first time at the Easter Vigil Mass, burned brightly next to the ambo. The candle will remain in the sanctuary and be lit for all Masses through Pentecost on May 28, which is when the 50-day celebration of Easter ends.
On the Octave of Easter, next Sunday, the church celebrates another feast, the Feast of Divine Mercy. Learn more about the feast here and other celebrations, prayer opportunities, and events during the Easter season here.
