The Resurrection of the Lord
No fixed feast day in the calendar
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Jesus rose from the dead, defeated sin and death, and opened eternal life to us
What is this feast?
Easter celebrates Jesus rising from the dead. It is the greatest feast of the year, the center of our faith. The Church celebrates it for eight days (the Octave of Easter) and keeps the joy going for the fifty days of the Easter season. Every Sunday is also a “little Easter.”
The story
On Friday afternoon, Jesus died on the cross. He was buried in a tomb cut into the rock, and a large stone was rolled across its entrance.
Early in the morning on the first day of the week, some women brought spices to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away, and the Lord’s body was no longer in the tomb. The angel told them that Jesus was not there, for he had been raised just as he had said (cf. Mt 28:6). The women hurried back to tell the disciples (cf. Lk 24:1-10).
That evening, the disciples had locked the doors because they were afraid. Jesus came and stood in their midst and wished them peace. He showed them his hands and his side, and the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord (cf. Jn 20:19-20). The risen Lord is not a ghost: he ate and drank, talked with his disciples, and still bore his glorious wounds.
The Gospel does not describe the moment when the Lord came out of the tomb. The victory banner is a picture from tradition that artists use to say: the Lord has conquered death.
Why does the Church celebrate it?
If Jesus had not risen, our faith would be in vain (cf. 1 Cor 15:14). But he really is risen! So sin and death no longer have the last word. Whoever believes in the Lord will also rise with him. At the Easter Vigil, the Church lights the Easter candle, sings “Alleluia,” and celebrates the sacrament of Baptism.
A lesson for you
- Greet each other with joy: “The Lord is risen, Alleluia!”
- When you are sad or have failed at something, remember: Jesus is alive and always with you.
- Keep Sunday holy by going to Mass, because it is the day the Lord rose.
Identifying marks
- A white banner with a red cross: according to tradition, the victory banner of Christ, who has conquered death.
- His right hand raised, with a small nail mark in the palm: the risen Lord still bears his wounds, as when he showed his disciples his hands and his side (cf. Jn 20:20).
- An open stone tomb, its round stone rolled away: the empty tomb: he is not here, he has been raised (cf. Lk 24:6).
- A white robe, a red mantle, bare feet: the familiar style of the Risen Lord statues in Vietnamese churches.
- A halo with a cross behind his head: a sign kept only for Jesus.
- The light of dawn: the women went to the tomb early in the morning on the first day of the week.
The text on this page is the card in the Catholic Information app, word for word.
Compiled by i-Catholic · About