Through the 50 days of lent and prayers, we journeyed with Jesus Christ through His ministry, suffering, sacrifice, and ultimate victory. From the many readings, liturgies, meditations, and sermons until 40th Friday, the solemn reflection of Good Friday to the radiant joy of Easter, this sacred season reveals the depth of God’s love and the promise of new life. The Cross reminds us of redemption, while the empty tomb proclaims hope beyond death. April’s lectionary invites you to reflect, renew, and rejoice in these profound mysteries. May these days strengthen our faith, deepen our gratitude, and inspire us to live as witnesses of Christ’s love, embracing His grace in our daily lives.
April 2nd and 3rd- Passover & Good Friday
The living love of Christ seeks us even in our unworthiness. On the sacred day of Passover, we are invited to come, be renewed, and reflect divine love in lives of faith, obedience, and joyful communion. On Good Friday, darkness seems to reign, yet life is revealed through the Cross. In the Gospel of Matthew 27:45–56, Jesus Christ offers Himself in perfect love. The veil is torn, the earth trembles—creation witnesses redemption. What appears as suffering becomes the celebration of life, for through His death, sin is defeated and grace is given. As Leo the Great taught, “The death of Christ is the life of believers.” The Cross stands not as defeat, but victory—calling us to surrender, to trust, and to embrace the life born from sacrificial love.
April 5th Sunday – Easter – Great Lent Ends – Resurrection: Victory over death
At dawn, grief turned to astonishment. The stone was rolled away, not by human strength, but by divine power. In Mark 16:1–11, the empty tomb declares that death does not have the final word. Fear met hope, and sorrow met resurrection. The risen Christ transforms despair into purpose and silence into proclamation. What seemed like defeat became eternal victory. Because He lives, we are no longer bound by fear or loss, and we can face our tomorrows. Let this truth awaken courage within us: life conquers death, light overcomes darkness, and hope rises again, calling us to believe, rejoice, and share the good news. Christ is risen, granting us new life, calling us to walk in faith, proclaim victory, and rejoice eternally. Gregory of Nazianzus proclaimed, “Yesterday I was crucified with Him; today I am glorified with Him.”
April 12th Sunday – New Sunday: My Lord and My God.
On the Sunday after the Resurrection, doubt meets divine mercy. John 20:24–29 tells us how Thomas the Apostle seeks proof, and Christ meets him with wounded hands and open love. His confession, “My Lord and my God,” becomes a proclamation of faith for all generations. As Gregory the Great taught, Thomas’s doubt strengthened our belief- his faith enabled us to be believers, especially with his missionary journey to our very own Kerala. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. In our uncertainties, Christ still comes, inviting us to trust, to worship, and to confess Him boldly as Lord and God.
April 19th Sunday – Come and dine: Invitation by the risen Lord
By the sea, the risen Lord calls His disciples from weariness to fellowship. In the Gospel of John 21:1–14, after a night of emptiness, nets overflow at His word. On the shore, Jesus Christ prepares bread and fish and gently invites, “Come and dine.” This is grace—He meets us in failure and nothingness, and restores us with His presence and providence. The meal becomes communion, a reminder that He is alive and provides all we need. In every season, His invitation remains: draw near, be nourished, and find renewed purpose in the risen Lord.
April 26th Sunday – Risen Lord: the Co-traveler
In Luke 24:13–35, Jesus Christ becomes the unseen companion, opening the Scriptures and rekindling hope. On the road to Emmaus, the risen Lord walks beside discouraged hearts. Though unrecognized at first, His presence transforms confusion into understanding. When He breaks the bread, their eyes are opened, and sorrow turns to joy. The co-traveler becomes the revealed Savior. In our journeys of doubt and weariness, He walks with us still—guiding, teaching, and revealing Himself. Our hearts burn within us as we encounter Him, and we are sent to share the good news.
May these words bring you closer to the Savior and renew your faith to keep following Him.
Wish You All a Blessed and Meaningful
Passion Week with Crucified and
Resurrected Love of Christ.
Rev. Biju Yohannan
The Assistant Vicar of Chicago Mar Thoma Church
April 2026