Rorate Caeli

Fr Serafino Lanzetta on the Resurrection


A catechesis by Fr Serafino M. Lanzetta on the Paschal Mystery - Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord as one single mystery. The Cross without the Resurrection would be a sacrifice that ends with the death of Jesus - a failure of His prophecies and of His mystery as the Son of God. On the contrary, the Resurrection without the Cross would be a glory without suffering, a reward with no sacrifice, something only human. However, the current danger is to take only the Resurrection without the Cross, with all harmful consequences that it may bring about. For example, a split between a pre-Conciliar and post-Conciliar Church. The first would be the one attached to the Cross, to penance and to the rigor of doctrine. The second would instead be born of the Resurrection, of the Pentecost, the one that easily puts aside the Cross and happily moves on singing the Alleluia! Holy Communion is therefore given only to people who rigidly stand and receive it in their hand. In this logic, if one is risen doesn't kneel anymore. He only stands, without embracing the suffering of the Cross. We are affected by a "Pentecostal renewal" that hasn't produced that renovation hoped for.


Fr Lanzetta's community, the Family of Mary Immaculate and St Francis, based in Gosport in the Diocese of Portsmouth, England, is livestreaming services through the following channels: