What must we do brothers and sister as baptized Christians? We must repent of all our sins! And most importantly live out our baptismal vows. Can we say we do not know what the baptismal vows are? Of course not! For in the wisdom of our Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church we renew our baptismal vows at Easter.
So that cleanse of all our sins and renewed by our Lord’s grace and mercy we may receive a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit and become once again, powerful instruments of His grace!
If you were sleeping during the Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday mass or simply going through the motions of the ritualistic celebration, then you had missed the beautiful encounter with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! For had you stayed awake, then you would have encountered Him most profoundly in the Sacraments, been renewed and your heart set aglow!
Jesus my Lord thank you for calling out to me so that I saw and recognised You. Stay with me Lord, as I testify to Your Holy Presence. Amen
________
First reading
Acts 2:36-41 ·
You must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus
On the day of Pentecost, Peter spoke to the Jews: ‘The whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.’
Hearing this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, ‘What must we do, brothers?’ ‘You must repent,’ Peter answered ‘and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise that was made is for you and your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God will call to himself.’ He spoke to them for a long time using many arguments, and he urged them, ‘Save yourselves from this perverse generation.’ They were convinced by his arguments, and they accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added to their number.
________
Gospel
John 20:11-18
‘I have seen the Lord and he has spoken to me’
Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.
CatholicJules.net 