Easter Sunday - Second Reading - Colossians 3:1–4 - Raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is.

1. Colossians 3:1-4
Raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is.

2. 1 If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above, where Christ is
seated at the right hand of God.
2 Think of what is above, not of what
is on earth.
3 For you have died, and your life is
hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ your life appears, then
you too will appear with him in glory.
Catholic Lectionary. 2009. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

3. St. Paul is explaining true Christian
behavior.
People have found a long lasting
happiness by following the
behaviors that Christ explained as
being acceptable to the Father.
We now live in a temporal, a
temporary life.
By accepting Jesus’ teachings and
internalizing them you will come
to live by new moral and ethical
standards.
Skipping down to verses 12-17 St.
Paul gives us a plan, a path to
follow on our journey to heaven,
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen
ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt
compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness, and patience,
13 bearing with one another and
forgiving one another, if one has a
grievance against another; as the
Lord has forgiven you, so must you
also do.
14 And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
15 And let the peace of Christ control
your hearts, the peace into which
you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
New American Bible

4. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell
in you richly, as in all
wisdom you teach and
admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and
spiritual songs with gratitude
in your hearts to God.
17 And whatever you do, in
word or in deed, do
everything in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God the Father through him.
Therefore, the path to follow
is:
Live with a compassionate
and forgiving attitude (Col.
3:12-13).
Live in love which leads to
perfect harmony (Col. 3:14).
Live by allowing Christ to rule
your hearts (Col. 3:15).
Live in thanksgiving for past,
present and future gifts of
the Lord’s grace (Col. 3:15).

5. Live by allowing God’s word to
guide your life (Col. 3:16).
Live life as a representative of
God, a model of the Christian
life style.
In Luke we read, 2133 Heaven
and earth will pass away, but
my words will not pass away.
Recall Matthew 27: 52 the tombs
also were opened, and many
bodies of the saints who had
fallen asleep were raised,
St. Paul is pointing out to the
Colossians that they should not
focus their lives and actions on
the benefits of this world but
should focus on the next.
Mt. 16 26-27 For what will it profit a
man, if he gains the whole world
and forfeits his life? Or what
shall a man give in return for his
life?
27 For the Son of man is to come
with his angels in the glory of his
Father, and then he will repay
every man for what he has done.