On Paschal Octave and Paschaltide : Renewal and Personal Encounter with Risen Christ

The incarnated Lord Jesus Christ has risen and his resurrection has renewed us into a new life in him (i.e. 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:4; Colossians 3:9-10; Galatians 2:20)! Alleluia! This Paschal renewal of life is reflected from the First Reading to the Seventh Reading of Paschal Vigil Mass (Genesis 1:1-2:2; Genesis 22:1-18; Exodus 14;15-15:1; Isaiah 54:5-14; Baruch 3:9-15, 32-4:4; Ezekiel 36:16-17), with a running theme of water in juxtaposition to the Holy Spirit to renew our life. It is the Holy Spirit to give us new life upon the resurrection of the incarnated Christ because he was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11). And the renewal’s effect on us is manifested in our Abraham-like faithfulness (Genesis 22:1-18) to enjoy God’s covenant with us, rooted in His faithful love (chesed)( Isaiah 54:5-14), seeking and benefitting from the fountain of God’s wisdom (Baruch 3:9-15, 32-4:4). Then, the Epistle of Paschal Vigil Mass (Romans 6:3-11) reminds that our Paschal renewal of life is, in essence, a result of our baptism into Christ and his death, so that we now live in a newness of life in Christ, having dead to sin but now living for God in Christ.

So, Paschal Sunday (Resurrection Sunday) is the day that a renewed life in Christ (Romans 6:1-14), who is also in us (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27), and a fresh life in the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:1-39) has begun! Yes, this the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad, for God has raised the cornerstone, which was rejected by those who could not believe (Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42). Indeed, risen Jesus has become the chief cornerstone of the holy catholic apostolic Church (Ephesians 2:10), as well as, the head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23)!

Having been renewed, now we begin our 50-day-festivity of Paschaltide, until Pentecost! It means that we have begun our preparation for the birth of the holy catholic apostolic Church born of the disciples, whose lives were renewed and enlightened upon the resurrection of the Lord. For this reason, all the First Readings for Mass throughout Paschaltide, from Paschal Sunday to Pentecost Sunday, are drawn from the Acts of the Apostles.

In this sense, Paschal Vigil Mass reflects our Passover (Pesach), and now we are on the feast of the Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot) (Exodus 23:15, Deuteronomy 16:16), followed by the feast of harvest season for seven weeks, known as Counting of Omar (Sefirat HaOmer) (Leviticus 23:9-21), culminating in Pentecost (Shavuot)(Exodus 23:16; Numbers 28:26). While the Jews offered firstfruits and commemorate the reception of the Torah on Shavuot, we offer our renewed selves and celebrate the reception of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. During these 50 days, the risen Jesus, the firstfruits from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20), is offered up into heaven, by means of his Ascension.

In the First Reading (Acts 10:34a, 37-43) of Paschal Sunday, in his speech at the house of Cornelius, we see how post-Pentecost Peter was. Peter gave his vivid testimony to Jesus’ public ministry and how it culminated in his death and resurrection. This is also a Christological summary statement with Paschal Mystery on Jesus and his ministry.  This needs to be read in conjunction with the First Reading of Monday of Paschal Octave (Acts 2:14, 22-23) and of Tuesday (Acts 2:36-41), as these are drawn from Peter’s Christological speech on Pentecost day (Acts 2:14-40),which netted about 3.000 people to join the nascent Church (Acts 2:41), making Peter a fisher of people (Luke 5:10; cf. Matthew 4:19).

The first option of the Second Reading of Paschal Sunday Mass (Colossians 3:1-4) is how we are to respond to the resurrection of the Lord. Because Christ is risen from the dead, we shall seek what is above – heavenly treasure – more than ever. As we have gone through Paschal renewal, we no longer set our minds on earthly things. We now truly seek heavenly treasure (Matthew 6:19-20).

It is important to note that Paul sees us one with the risen Christ in his glory. So he says, “When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory”. The risen Christ in glory is now also our life! Therefore, as implicated in the Transfiguration of the Lord, which we reflect in the Gospel Reading of the Second Sunday of Lent (Matthew 17:1-9(A)//Mark 9:2-10(B)//Luke 9:28-36(C)), it is no longer Peter, James, and John, but we all appear now in Christ’s resurrection glory! 

Paul, in the second option of the Second Reading of Paschal Sunday (1 Corinthians 5:6-8), calls us to start a renewed life, free from “yeast of sin”, in Paschaltide.  Readings of Paschal Vigil Mass have reminded that the incarnated Christ has renewed our life, along with the rest of the creation, through his death and resurrection, we must be clean. The Word and the Holy Spirit through Christ have purified us (Ephesians 5:25-26). Therefore, we shall be free of leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 6:16). And this is the post-resurrection life in the risen Christ, having him living in us (Galatians 2:20).

Though we have gone through Paschal renewal, it was rather a slow process for the disciples, as the Resurrection Gospel narratives, which are read from Paschal Vigil Mass and throughout Paschal Octave every day, and Second Sunday of Paschaltide and Third Sunday of Paschaltide. This was because they did not truly believe that Jesus would rise on the third day from his death, though he had foretold of his passion, death, and resurrection multiple times from the time he gave the keys to Peter (Matthew 16:21-23) to the night before hid death (Matthew 26:32). Through these resurrection Gospel narratives, we must ask ourselves if we still have a bout of doubt about the resurrection. If so, what it is.

The difficulties of the disciples to recognize the resurrection in these resurrection Gospel narratives remind us that we must have a personal encounter with rise Jesus, because they really did not believe until and unless they had met rise Jesus in person. It is not just doubting Thomas, who did not believe until having a physical encounter with risen Jesus. All the other disciples did not come to terms with the resurrection without meeting risen Jesus in person.

Unless we have a personal encounter with risen Jesus, we would not be ready for Pentecost. Thus, it is imperative that we meet risen Jesus during Paschal Octave – at latest, by Third Sunday of Paschaltide.