You can read his brief biography, the Second Reading (his inaugural address), and the Responsory here.
The absolute, and yet sweet and gentle, power of the Lord responds to the whole depths of the human person, to his loftiest aspirations of intellect, will and heart. It does not speak the language of force, but expresses itself in charity and truth.
Pope John Paul II, October 22, 1978
Completely unrelated to this week’s lesson, but I thought you might like the reminder that today is Blessed John Paul II’s feast. He was added to the U.S. Liturgical Calendar for the first time today.
Today’s Collect:
O God, who are rich in mercy
and who willed that the blessed John Paul the Second
should preside as Pope over your universal Church,
grant, we pray, that instructed by his teaching,
we may open our hearts to the saving grace of Christ,
the sole Redeemer of mankind.
Who lives and reigns.
O God, who on this day, through your Only Begotten Son, have conquered death and unlocked for us the path to eternity, grant, we pray, that we who keep the solemnity of the Lord’s Resurrection may, through the renewal brought by your Spirit, rise up in the light of life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Instead of a collect, today let’s look at the Exultet (the Easter Proclamation) we pray at the beginning of Easter Vigil. This ancient hymn of praise is typically sung by a deacon (but can also be sung by a priest or cantor). The poetry and drama of the Exultet calls the whole Church – in heaven and on earth – and the whole world, including all of creation, to rejoice in the Resurrection of the Lord!
Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven,
exult, let Angel ministers of God exult,
let the trumpet of salvation
sound aloud our might King’s triumph!
Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her,
ablaze with light from her eternal King,
let all corners of the earth be glad,
knowing an end to gloom and darkness.
Rejoice, let Mother Church also rejoice,
arrayed with the lightning of his glory,
let this holy building shake with joy,
filled with the mighty voices of the peoples.(Therefore, dearest friends,
standing in the awesome glory of this holy light,
invoke with me, I ask you,
the mercy of God almighty,
that he, who has been pleased to number me,
though unworthy, among the Levites,
may pour into me his light unshadowed,
that I may sing this candle’s perfect praises.)(V. The Lord be with you. R. And with your spirit.)
V. Lift up your hearts. R. We lift them up to the Lord.
V. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. R. It is right and just.It is truly right and just,
with ardent love of mind and heart
and with devoted service of our voice,
to acclaim our God invisible, the almighty Father,
and Jesus Christ, our Lord, his Son, his Only Begotten.Who for our sake paid Adam’s debt to the eternal Father,
and, pouring out his own dear Blood,
wiped clean the record of our ancient sinfulness.These then are the feasts of Passover,
In which is slain the Lamb, the one true Lamb,
whose Blood anoints the doorposts of believers.This is the night,
when once you led our forebears, Israel’s children,
from slavery in Egypt
and made them pass dry-shod through the Red Sea.This is the night
that with a pillar of fire
banished the darkness of sin.This is the night
that even now, throughout the world,
sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices
and the gloom of sin,
leading them to grace
and joining them to his holy ones.This is the night,
when Christ broke the prison-bars of death
and rose victorious from the underworld.Our birth would have been no gain,
had we not been redeemed.
O wonder of your humble care for us!
O love, O charity beyond all telling,
to ransom a slave you gave away your Son!O truly necessary sin of Adam,
destroyed completely by the Death of Christ!O happy fault
that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!O truly blessed night,
worthy alone to know the time and hour
when Christ rose from the underworld!This is the night
of which it is written:
The night shall be as bright as day,
dazzling is the night for me,
and full of gladness.The sanctifying power of this night
dispels wickedness, washes faults away,
restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to the mourners,
drives out hatred, fosters concord, and brings down the mighty.On this, your night of grace, O holy Father,
accept this candle, a solemn offering,
the work of bees and of your servants’ hands,
an evening sacrifice of praise,
this gift from your most holy Church.But now we know the praises of this pillar,
which glowing fire ignites for God’s honor,
to fire into many flames divided,
yet never dimmed by sharing of its light,
for it is fed by melting wax,
drawn out by mother bees
to build a torch so precious.O truly blessed night,
when things of heaven are wed to those of earth,
and divine to the human.Therefore, O Lord,
we pray you that this candle,
hallowed to the honor of your name,
may persevere undimmed,
to overcome the darkness of this night.
Receive it as a pleasing fragrance,
and let it mingle with the lights of heaven.
May this flame be found still burning by the Morning Star:
the one Morning Star who never sets,
Christ your Son,
who, coming back from death’s domain,
has shed his peaceful light on humanity,
and lives and reign for ever and ever.
Amen.
There are two options:
Remember your mercies, O Lord, and with your eternal protection sanctify your servants, for whom Christ your Son, by the shedding of his Blood, established the Paschal Mystery. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Or: O God, who by the Passion of Christ your Son, our Lord, abolished the death inherited from ancient sin by every succeeding generation, grant that just as, being conformed to him, we have borne by the law of nature the image of the man of earth, so by the sanctification of grace we may bear the image of the Man of heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
I love this piece by Fra Angelico from Florence! It happens to be in a Dominican Convent, and, of course, that's Saint Dominic at the foot of the cross, adoring his Savior. Feel free to put yourself in his place today.
[Chrism Mass] O God, who anointed your Only Begotten Son with the Holy Spirit and made Him Christ and Lord, graciously grant that, being made sharers in his consecration, we may bear witness to your Redemption in the world. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
[Mass of the Lords Supper] O God, who have called us to participate in this most sacred Supper, in which your Only Begotten Son, when about to hand himself over to death, entrusted to the Church a sacrifice new for all eternity, the banquet of his love, grant, we pray, that we may draw from so great a mystery, the fullness of charity and of life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
The Last Supper from the Convent of San Salvi in Florence (1520-25)
O God, who willed your son to submit for our sake to the yoke of the Cross, so that you might drive from us the power of the enemy, grant us, your servants,to attain the grace of the resurrection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Crucifixion by Veronese (1580s)
