Third Sunday of Easter

Sunday, 04th May A.D. 2014

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

(Second Sunday of Easter in Calendar of Extraordinary Form of Roman Rite) 

The English Marytrs

        Today the Church celebrates English Men and Women martyred for the Catholic Faith 1535-1680 and beatified or canonised by the Holy See.

On this day in 1535 there died at Tyburn three Carthusian monks, the first of many martyrs, Catholic and Protestant, of the English reformation. Of these martyrs, forty two have been canonised and a further two hundred and forty two declared blessed, but the number of those who died on the scaffold, perished in prison, or suffered harsh persecution for their faith in the course of a century and a half cannot now be reckoned.

They came from every walk of life; there are among them rich and poor, married and single, women and men.

They are remembered for the example they gave of constancy in their faith, and courage in the face of persecution.

Liturgy Office England & Wales

"They set out at once and returned to Jerusalem"

Commentary of the day by Saint John Paul II

The two disciples of Emmaus, upon recognizing the Lord, “set out immediately” ( Lk 24,33), in order to report what they had seen and heard. Once we have truly met the Risen One by partaking of his body and blood, we cannot keep to ourselves the joy we have experienced. The encounter with Christ, constantly intensified and deepened in the Eucharist, issues in the Church and in every Christian an urgent summons to testimony and evangelization. I wish to emphasize this...  based on the words of Saint Paul: “As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes” (1 Cor 11,26). The Apostle closely relates meal and proclamation: entering into communion with Christ in the memorial of his Pasch also means sensing the duty to be a missionary of the event made present in that rite.(22) The dismissal at the end of each Mass is a charge given to Christians, inviting them to work for the spread of the Gospel and the imbuing of society with Christian values. 

The Eucharist not only provides the interior strength needed for this mission, but is also —in some sense—its plan. For the Eucharist is a mode of being, which passes from Jesus into each Christian, through whose testimony it is meant to spread throughout society and culture. For this to happen, each member of the faithful must assimilate, through personal and communal meditation, the values which the Eucharist expresses... One fundamental element is found in the very meaning of the word “Eucharist”: thanksgiving... This transcendent point of reference, which commits us constantly to give thanks for all that we have and are...,  it is also a project of solidarity for all of humanity... The Christian who takes part in the Eucharist learns to become a promotor of communion, peace and solidarity in every situation..., a practical commitment to building a more just and fraternal society..., practical sharing with the poor...:  by bending down to wash the feet of his disciples (Jn 13,1), Jesus explains the meaning of the Eucharist unequivocally.

The Mass will be celebrated in

Extraordinary Form of Roman Rite 

by bishop c. Raphael Zimer at 

12:00 PM SLT in Saint Francis Cathedral

TELEPORT 

(Every attendant will receive the prayer book with translation of the Mass)