The diary game: Attending Easter Service
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Preamble:
May our hope in God be enkindled through the joyous celebration of this Easter in Jesus precious name whom we serve.
It might interest you to know how I spent today's unique day and you know what? I won't fail to do just that..as you can feel the joy in me via my typing. Now , y'all comrades should hope in my Maserati as I walk you through.
It's Easter Sunday, Christian's most important day which simply but very uniquely commemorates Christ's resurrection from the dead after expiring on the cross 3 days ago.
To my dearly readers who aren't Christians therefore don't know what "Easter"* is, you couldn't find a better meaning of it than Christ's resurrection day.
It's a thing of joy to let you know that, by rising from the dead after dying on the cross, Christ paved way for Christians to believe that there's another life after here. This is our assurance , this is our hope and we're glad, He has risen indeed Hallelujah!!!!
- Keep in mind that he (Jesus) is the reason for the season.
My waking up
After deceiving myself last night during a lazy prayer which lasted not more than 3 minutes, I sinfully, yet peacefully woke up at 6:16am after snoozing my alarm at 6 to continue snoring.
After a very little praising to Jesus for rising from the dead, I dashed out to carry one or two activities. I spent about 10 minutes keeping everything in order then got held of my toothbrush and found myself in the restroom where I did the general clean up.
At 7:03am, I noticed i was done with dressing, then headed outside outside and found myself on the road that lead to church.
At the Church
I got to church at church 10 minutes after
As usual, all the activities as per the Catholic missal were carried out of which I should mention but few are readings from the Bible, receiving of holy communion by both newly communicants and as well, old, offering of gifts from people to God, homily by the priest and much more.
About Today's mass/ Mass readings
Procession for during Thanksgiving
Today been the 17th day of April, 2022 (Easter Sunday) the universal church (Roman Catholic church) celebrate Christ resurrection and as well, the memorial feast of St. Stephen Harding.
In a tabular form below are the readings for today
| Readings | Bible |
|---|---|
| FIRST READING | Acts 10:34a, 37—43 |
| RESPONSORIAL PSALM | Psalm 118:1—2, 16—17, 22—23 (24) |
| SECOND READING | Colossians 3:1—4 |
| GOSPEL | John 20:1—9 |
Brief summary about the above readings
In summary below, I present to you the readings of today:
✓🌟First Reading:
The first reading of today taken from Acts of the Apostles 10:34a, 37—43 tells us how Peter stood up and addressed the people concerning Jesus, beginning from his baptism, how he was going about preaching and healing people because God was him.
Also, Peter continued that they are witnesses of all what he did both in the Jewish country and Jerusalem. How they condemned him to death by hanging on the cross amvut God raised him up on the 3rd day and them (the disciples) ate and drank with him as he commissioned them to preach to all people that he's the Christ, the judge of both the living and the dead.✓🌟The Responsorial Psalm:
The response for today's Responsorial Psalm goes thus: This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
It reminds us of the Lord's goodness towards us, telling our souls to give thanks to him.
It also tells how the hand of the Lord is exalted, self assuring that we shall not die but live and proclaim God's goodness.
The third stanza concluded that, the stone which all the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, this is marvelous in our eyes.✓🌟The second reading:
The short second reading taken from the letter to Colossians 3:1-4 encouraged us to seek for what is above if then we've been raised with Christ Jesus. We should think of what's above where Christ is seated for we have died and our life is hidden with Jesus Christ in God, that when he appears, we will appear also with him.√🌟 The Gospel:
John 20:1-9 gives us an account of Jesus resurrection, how marry Magdalene went to the tomb early in the morning on the first day of the week but saw that the stone which they covered Jesus's tomb has been rolled away. She ran back and reported to Peter and the other disciples which also ran to the tomb to confirmed but saw that only Jesus's linen clothes were there upon entering inside the tomb. It was then they remembered and believed what Jesus had told them that he will rise on the third day and the disciples rejoice.
During Service
The homily (Preaching)
Today's homily was a bit much nevertheless, I was able to grab some words and as well, I learnt one or two.
The priest started his homily with a brief intro about Easter saying "few days ago Jesus was crucify, today we are celebrating him. We have come to celebrate hope " the priest said.
He continued that, Jesus whom we are celebrating today will restore our hope .
Lamenting about the country's situation he said, "Nigeria is not wonderful, our economy is not wonderful but we have a God whom we are celebrating today that is wonderful"
He briefly sang a hymn withbthese lyrics: I have a father who will never Fail, forever more.
The priest proceeded that many people are here in the church because it's Easter, so they say to themselves let us go to church.
Many people have lost hope in religion.
Many comes to church just to be there . But the moment you start going to church because of any special event, because of the priest , or for any special person of anything, definitely you have lost hope in God" So said the priest.
Imagining the pains Jesus went through just for the sake of mankind even though he was without guilt, the priest gave an instance that when an accident happened, a person who receives the sharpest pain dies on the spot then he said, think about Jesus. The nails and the piecing by the side.
Proceeding further, he talked about Jesus resurrection saying, He (Jesus) defiled the normal principle of decomposition.. he rose from the dead on the 3rd day.
The disciples never believed till they found him not.
He also said that, "many Antichrists will write to convince you that Christ did not resurrect from the dead.
The elders tried to convince the people by giving the guards money to say to the people when asked, that, Jesus disciples have taken his body.
The priest rhetorically asked, What then have been our Faith if Christ has not risen?
God wanted to show us that after this life here on earth, another life begins by proving to us through his son.
This is our Faith, the God whom we are following was not bound by the power of death and as such, we have to live our lives as people of hope" these were the priest's words.
His second lesson he said, Mary Magdalene was the first person to see Jesus after resurrection, a woman that Jesus earlier casted out 7 demons..he asked the congregations to shout "Hope" at this juncture. He then urged us to have the same zeal Mary had that she encountered Christ.
Concluding his homily the priest said, Christ resurrected leaving behind his garments, what have you left behind to follow Jesus?
He then prayd for us that, may we welcome Christ on the last day
He later concluded his homily at 9:17am
Returning Home
The mass later ended quite late today though, as there were many added activities to do since it's not a regular Sunday service precisely at 11 minutes after the eleventh hour and inset back home.
Postamble
As of the time of writing this post, the time is 3:27pm and I'm yet to have my first meal of the day. Hoping to do that as soon as I finish publishing.
- The Angels rolled the stone away. This is our hope as Christians, may we rejoice and be glad on this day and henceforth.
May God forgive us of our shortcomings and grant us everlasting peace. Amen
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!! Hallelujah!!!
I enjoyed reading the Easter sermon. And it is good you celebrated the day in church.
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I appreciate big.
Thank you @steemalive
Hello @barnabie,
Thank you for presenting your Easter Sunday diary here.You looked good in your dressing.Easter is indeed a time to remember the salvation that the death and ressurection of Christ has brought to us.Without his death and resurrection out faith would have been for nothing.
Jesus died for us to have life. That's why we are celebrating the memorial of his death. That helps to to exercise Faith on the ransom sacrifice.
This is detailed @barbabie
Your Sunday was blissful.
Christ's death and resurrection is really benefitting us a lot and I'm glad you reflect on that awesome gift from God.
The way you summarized the scriptures show that you paid more than usual attention to the mass.
That's quite commendable @barnabie.
You really had a great day @barnabie. Attending Easter service is the best place you could have ever gone to. What Jesus did for us can't be over emphasized. Glory to Him.
Easter is a reflective period, it's good for us Christian to remember thanks.
This post is so detailed and I observed you really wrote down the sermon and all the Bible verses.
There’s no place better than the house of God.
The resurrection of jesus was the best thing that happened to man kind, as you said it's what paved way to christianity which is absolutely true, keep on the good work of posting.