our Risen Lord

I will bring you to the Heights of Heaven

The lamb was corruptible, but the Lord is incorruptible. He was slain as a lamb; he rose again as God. He rose from the dead, and cried aloud: Who will contend with me? Let him confront me. I have freed the condemned, brought the dead back to life, raised men from their graves. Who has anything to say against me?

I, he said, am the Christ; I have destroyed death, triumphed over the enemy, trampled hell underfoot, bound the strong one, and taken men up to the heights of heaven: I am the Christ. Come, then, all of you, receive forgiveness for the sins that defile you. I am your forgiveness. I am the Passover that brings salvation. I am the lamb who was immolated for you. I am your ransom, your life, your resurrection, your light, I am your salvation and your king. I will bring you to the heights of heaven.

From a homily by Melito of Sardis

Fourth Week of Easter

1 Corinthians 15

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you
of the gospel I preached to you.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Saint Paul

Be Joyful Mary Heavenly Queen

Be Joyful Mary . Hymn

Be joyful, Mary, heav’nly Queen,
Be joyful, Mary!/Gaude, Maria!
Your grief is changed to joy serene, Alleluia!
Laetare, O Maria!
 ( Rejoice, rejoice, O Mary ! )

The Son you bore by heaven’s grace,
Be joyful, Mary!/Gaude, Maria!
Did by his death our guilt erase, Alleluia!
Laetare, O Maria!
 ( Rejoice, rejoice, O Mary ! )

The Lord has risen from the dead,
Be joyful, Mary!/Gaude, Maria!
He rose in glory as he said, Alleluia!
Laetare, O Maria!
 ( Rejoice, rejoice, O Mary ! )