Celebrant: By his Resurrection, Christ has conquered all that stands between us and God. We therefore approach the Father now with great confidence. 

Deacon/Lector: 

That all Church leaders will be renewed in their mission of leading all people to Jesus, the Risen Lord, we pray to the Lord... 

For a deeper unity among all Christians, as they acknowledge together and proclaim to the world the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we pray to the Lord... 

That the Risen Christ may bless, guide, and protect all who serve in public office, we pray to the Lord...

That the victory of Jesus over death may encourage all who work to end abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia, we pray to the Lord… 

That the sick may be comforted and healed, and that all who have died may share in the Resurrection, we pray to the Lord... 

Celebrant: 

Father,
you have already granted us more than we can ask for
in the Resurrection of Christ.
As you answer our prayers,
make us ever more faithful to him,
who is Lord forever and ever. Amen. 

Life is Victorious! 

“Jesus Christ our King is Risen! Sound the trumpet of salvation!” (Easter Exsultet). Today is the Feast of Feasts, the foundation of all that we celebrate in our faith. By rising from the dead, Jesus did not only conquer his death; he conquered ours. He overturned the entire kingdom of death! He has opened the way to the true destiny of the human person: to be on the throne of God forever, in life that knows no end! 

Because of this, we are the People of Life. We seek to apply the victory of Jesus over death to the problems of our day. We are a pro-life people, and reject the false solutions of abortion and euthanasia. Rather, we say yes to every life, no matter how vulnerable or burdensome. It is an Easter yes; it is a yes filled with hope. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad! 

Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8
Jn 20:1-9 (42) or Lk 24:1-12 (41)
or, at an afternoon or evening Mass, Lk 24:13-35

Watch a video with homily hints

Preaching on life is particularly appropriate on this day for the double reason that this is precisely the feast of life, and that many people will be in the Church today who do not hear our message the rest of the year. The pro-life message can be incorporated into the Easter homily in a very positive and clear way, as the following points suggest: 

1. Easter is about the Resurrection of Christ, which was a physical resurrection. The human body and soul are set free from the kingdom of death; the way is opened for us to share this risen life.

2. This puts every human being in a different light; we can never look at each other the same again. Every person, in Christ, has been raised to the heights of heaven. Both options for the second reading emphasize this point. Easter, then, is our feast. It is not only about Jesus’ victory over death; it’s about our victory over death.

3. We share that victory by baptism, and after the homily will renew our baptismal vows. By rejecting the “works” and “empty promises” of Satan, we are rejecting the power of death at work in our world today, manifested in such evils as abortion and euthanasia. By promising to live in Christ, we are promising to be pro-life.

4. The first reading indicates that the apostles were to preach to the people about the meaning of the resurrection. So must we. We are apostles of life, spreading hope amidst people who might be tempted to see death as a solution to their problems. 

5. The Gospel tells us that the apostles “ran.” So must we. This Feast fills us with spiritual energy that makes us run to the Lord, and then run from the empty tomb to tell the world that Life, not death, is what God wants for us and from us! We are the People of Life! Let’s celebrate that with confidence and joy!