Proclaiming the Resurrection and Living Our Creed

Devotional

Day 1: The Foundation of Our Faith in the Creed

The creed is the summary of our faith, a profound statement of belief that unites the universal church. It encapsulates the core truths about God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In professing it, we affirm our belief in creation, redemption, and the promise of eternal life. This declaration is not merely words but the bedrock of our identity as believers. It calls for our full heart and mind, an intelligent and heartfelt assent to the mysteries we celebrate. [22:28]

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
- The Apostles' Creed

Reflection: As you reflect on the words of the creed, which specific line resonates most deeply with you today, and what does that belief mean for how you live your life this week?

Day 2: Living in the Joy of the Fifty Days

The season of Easter is a gift of fifty days, a prolonged period of joy and celebration for the Church. It is a sacred time to intentionally live in the light of Christ's resurrection, long after the world has moved on to other things. This season invites us to be counter-cultural, to hold onto the Paschal joy and let it renew our spirits. We are called to be a people of life, marked by the hope and renewal that Christ’s victory over death has won for us. [27:52]

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
- Philippians 4:4-6 (ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical way you can cultivate and protect a spirit of rejoicing in your daily routine throughout these fifty days of Easter?

Day 3: The Call to Profess Our Faith Boldly

Our faith is a gift to be shared, not a secret to be kept. We are commissioned to bring God back into our homes and communities, to be disciples who proclaim the kingdom. This begins with a willingness to humbly yet confidently profess what we believe. When we know the creed by heart, we are prepared to give an account of the hope that is within us, shining the light of Christ into a world that often lives in darkness. [25:13]

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
- 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life might be longing to hear a gentle word of hope, and how can you be prepared to share the reason for your faith with them?

Day 4: Renewing Our Baptismal Promises

Through the Paschal mystery, we have been buried with Christ in baptism and now walk in newness of life. The renunciation of Satan and his works is a powerful, ongoing commitment to turn away from all that is empty and false. The renewal of our baptismal promises is an active choice to serve God in the truth and holiness of the Catholic faith. It is a daily decision to live for Christ, embracing the grace He won for us. [30:12]

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, we too might walk in newness of life.
- Romans 6:4 (ESV)

Reflection: In what specific area of your life is God inviting you to more fully live out the promises of your baptism today?

Day 5: Participating in the Paschal Mystery

The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, where we participate most intimately in the Paschal mystery. We offer the sacrifice by which the Church is reborn and nourished. In partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we pray to be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit. This sacred meal strengthens us to go forth and be co-heirs to eternal life, glorifying God through our son. [49:33]

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
- 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (ESV)

Reflection: How does receiving the Eucharist commission you to be an instrument of God's love and unity in your family and community this week?

Sermon Summary

The liturgy exults in the risen Christ and frames the day as the decisive gift of salvation. The resurrection of the only-begotten Son is presented as the defeat of death and the opening of eternal life for those who follow Jesus. The community is invited into a posture of honest repentance through the penitential rite, then prays for renewal by the Spirit so that the rejoicing of Easter becomes a practical rising into the light of life. Scripture comes alive in the Gospel of John: Mary of Magdala discovers the empty tomb, the burial cloths testify, and belief begins even before full comprehension of Scripture’s meaning.

The creed receives emphasis as the compact of Christian identity: it summons belief in God the Creator, in Christ’s obedience unto death and resurrection, in the Spirit, and in life everlasting. The homily urges memorizing and confidently professing the creed so faith can be named and lived in everyday encounters. Easter is not a single day but a fifty-day season to be lived as a sustained vocation of proclamation, mercy, and joy; the faithful are encouraged to reclaim public and private spaces for the light and love of Christ.

Baptismal renewal anchors the assembly in the Paschal mystery, prompting renunciation of evil and fresh affirmation of belief. The eucharistic prayer unfolds the memorial of Christ’s passion and resurrection: bread and cup become the means by which the community is gathered, sanctified, and sent. Intercessions extend the paschal hope to the living and the dead, invoking communion with Mary, Joseph, the apostles, and all the saints. Final blessings and practical announcements connect liturgical celebration with parish life, vocation support, and communal service, calling the faithful to carry Easter’s light into homes and the wider community for fifty days and beyond.

Key Takeaways

1. Resurrection secures eternal life The resurrection is presented not as an abstract doctrine but as the definitive act that unlocks eternity for believers now and forever. Eternal life begins as a present reality given by God and continues beyond bodily death, shaping how daily choices orient toward communion with the Father. This is a summons to live in the light of that reality rather than under the sway of fear and finality. [09:48]
2. Creed anchors Christian belief The creed functions as the concise map of what to believe and why it matters—Creator, Savior, Spirit, church, and life everlasting. Memorizing and professing it equips disciples to answer the world with clarity and to test personal convictions against received truth. Public profession safeguards the community from private reinterpretations that fracture covenantal identity. [22:28]
3. Fifty days shape Easter living Easter is a season of sustained celebration, not a single event; fifty days provide a rhythm for internalizing resurrection joy. This extended time calls for deliberate practices—prayer, proclamation, mercy—that reorient personal and communal life toward the risen Lord. Treating Easter as a season resists cultural rush and reclaims temporal space for transformation. [27:35]
4. Baptism renews dying and rising Renewing baptismal promises reaffirms dying with Christ to sin and rising to new life in the Spirit. This ritual re-centers identity in the Paschal mystery and clarifies moral and spiritual commitments going forward. It is a practical re-entrance into discipleship, not merely symbolic memory. [29:48]
5. Eucharist forms and sends disciples The Eucharistic prayer shapes the community into a body united by Christ’s giving and calls it back into mission. Partaking of bread and cup gathers people into one Spirit, sustains charity, and commissions practical witness in daily life. The sacrament binds remembrance with present transformation and outward service. [48:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:20] - Proclamation of the Resurrection
[05:27] - Confession and Penitential Rite
[09:48] - Opening Prayer: Paschal Renewal
[20:11] - Gospel Reading: The Empty Tomb
[22:28] - The Creed: Heart of Faith
[27:35] - Easter Season: Fifty Days Explained
[29:48] - Renewal of Baptismal Promises
[43:59] - Eucharistic Prayer and Memorial
[67:26] - Announcements and Final Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
John 20:1–9 (ESV)
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

Observation questions

What details does John include about what Peter and the other disciple saw inside the tomb?
According to the sermon, what is the significance of the fifty-day Easter season? [27:35]
What does the creed help Christians do in their everyday lives? [22:28]
How does the Eucharistic prayer shape the community of believers? [48:48]

Interpretation questions

Why do you think the other disciple “saw and believed” even before fully understanding the Scripture?
How does renewing baptismal promises help a person re-center their identity in the Paschal mystery? [29:48]
In what ways can the resurrection be a “present reality” and not just a future hope? [09:48]
Why might treating Easter as a fifty-day season resist the cultural tendency to rush past it? [27:35]

Application questions

The resurrection is meant to shape daily choices toward communion with God. What is one practical way you can live more aware of eternal life this week? [09:48]
The creed is a concise summary of Christian belief. Is there a part of the creed that is especially meaningful or difficult for you to believe? How can you reflect on it during the Easter season? [22:28]
Easter is a season of proclamation, mercy, and joy. How can you intentionally extend joy or mercy to someone in your home or community this week? [27:35]
Renewing baptismal promises involves renouncing evil and affirming belief. What is one thing you feel called to renounce or turn away from during this season? [29:48]
The Eucharist gathers, sanctifies, and sends believers. How does receiving Communion affect the way you engage with your family, work, or community afterward? [48:48]
In what specific “dark” or difficult space (e.g., a relationship, your workplace, a personal struggle) can you intentionally bring the light of Christ during these fifty days? [01:12:02]
How can you help your family or small group remember and celebrate the entire Easter season rather than just a single day? [27:35]

Sermon Clips

47s

#FaithAndReason

“And if we read and profess that faith and we read the creed and we feel that we don't believe what the creed is saying, then obviously, we are not Catholics. Catholics mean we have to believe. I have to believe. Faith is not something that is easy because if everything can shown you and prove it to you, then you don't need faith anymore. Faith is not blind, but at the same times requires intelligence and require our heart fully, our mind fully to say, yes. I believe.”

46s

#CreedInMyHeart

“And so today, we gather together. I like to reminding all of us that at least at least remember that quit by heart in our heart, in our minds. Remember that quit deeply. So that way when you go out into the world, people ask you, at least you can profess your faith and say, this is what I believe. I believe in the lord Jesus Christ. Life. I believe in the resurrection of the dead. I believe all that the Catholic teaches me. That's our faith. And there are doctrines of the faith that is not compromised.”

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Proclaiming the Resurrection and Living Our Creed

Devotional

Day 1: The Foundation of Our Faith in the Creed

Day 2: Living in the Joy of the Fifty Days

Day 3: The Call to Profess Our Faith Boldly

Day 4: Renewing Our Baptismal Promises

Day 5: Participating in the Paschal Mystery

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Proclaiming the Resurrection and Living Our Creed

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