Easter Monday

 The Pascal Lamb was to be without blemish; its blood was to be sprinkled as a protection against the destroying angel, and its flesh was to be eaten.

This was the tradition from the beginning of time; all the Prophets announced it to be so; Moses taught it; and Jesus fulfilled this command with Himself being the Lamb that was to be sacrificed, and this would replace the old tradition with the new. And we all know, that at the minute of His death on the Cross, the old way of doing things was forever changed and would be no more acceptable to the Father.

Jesus, since His resurrection, has appeared to various people, like the two disciples in today's reading who were on their way to Emmaus. They were hidden from recognizing Him until He broke bread, after which He disappeared from their view. Maybe we are not meant to understand anything until we believe.

A lesson for today, taken from the writings of St. John Chrysostom. He says:

"You are enjoying a daily instruction during these seven days (after this Resurrection). We put before you a spiritual banquet, that thus we may teach you how to arm yourselves and fight against the devil, who is now preparing to attack you more violently than ever; for the greater is the gift you have received, the greater will be the combat you must go through to preserve it...During these following seven days, you have the word of God preached to you, that you may go forth well prepared to fight with your enemies. Moreover, you know it is usual to keep up a nuptial feast for seven days: you are now celebrating a spiritual marriage, and therefore we have established the custom of a seven days' solemnity." (I will strive to put something down during these seven days, to remind and encourage you during your journey)

We are to take these seven days after the Resurrection to prepare ourselves, gird ourselves with the armor of Faith, and go out and fight for the Truth!

'We ourselves have been like these two disciples. Our sentiments have been more those of the Jew than of the Christian. Hence our love of earthly things, which has made us heedless of such as are heavenly, and has thereby exposed us to sin. We cannot, for the time to come, be thus minded. The glorious Resurrection of our Jesus eloquently teaches us how to look upon the crosses sent us by God. However great may be our future trials, we are not likely to be nailed to a cross, between two thieves. It is what the Son of God had to undergo; but did the sufferings of the Friday mar the kingly splendour of the Sunday's triumph? Nay, is not his present glory redoubled by his past humiliations? Therefore let us not be cowards when our time for sacrifice comes; let us think of the eternal reward that is to follow.' (from The Liturgical Year)


The following is taken from a sermon in 1883:

Resisting the Enemies of Our Salvation
by Fr. Johann Evangelist Zollner, 1883
Put you on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. The Apostle compares Christians to soldiers who go to war, amply provided with the necessary arms. The enemy with whom they must struggle is the devil, the author of all evil, the father of lies, the seducer from the beginning of the world, who goes about, like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.--1 Pet. 5: 8. This arch-enemy of our salvation is not only strong, but also full of cunning; he comes when he is least expected and attacks the unguarded senses, causing the most violent temptations; he does not attack openly, in front, but artfully, sideways, and therefore does not represent the sins to which he wishes to seduce us in their real form, but under the appearance of an indifferent thing, or even a virtue. Thus he calls pride, noble self esteem; avarice, wise economy; impurity, human weakness or natural pleasure; injustices and impositions. He studies the weakness of every one, and therefore tempts each man to that sin to which he is most inclined.