Beginning with the Easter Vigil, we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the day when Jesus broke the chains of death and rose in triumph from the grave. He did this not for himself alone, but for all of us. He invites us to share in his great victory over sin and death, as Saint Paul reminds us: \u201cChrist has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep\u201d (1 Corinthians 15:20).<\/p>\n
At Easter, we are filled with peace and joy because Christ is risen, and we sing our joyful Alleluia. Yet Mary of Magdala, who went to the tomb early that morning experienced something very different. She came with heavy heart and a sorrowful spirit. It was not easy for her to go to the place where Jesus had been buried. She went out of love and devotion, to complete the burial rites according to their tradition. For her, Jesus was dead, buried, and gone. The world seemed empty without him, and the tomb that stood as a sign of loss and despair was found empty. What a shocking and terrifying experience for Mary of Magdala. In the midst of that confusion and sadness, she ran to the apostles to announce to them another piece of bad news of Jesus\u2018 body not being found in the tomb because the stone was removed from the tomb. There was no need to look for Jesus in the place of death, for he is alive. The burial cloths were left behind, because they belong to death, not to life (cf. John 20:6-7). By the power of God, Jesus conquered death and corruption and rose to a new and glorious life.<\/p>\n
It is the same Jesus, yet transformed into a new manner of living. As Scripture teaches: \u201cWhat is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable\u201d (1 Corinthians 15:42). Like a seed that falls into the ground and dies in order to bear fruit (cf. John 12:24), Christ has passed through death into eternal life. At first, the disciples struggled to understand. Their faith was hesitant; their hearts slow to believe. But gradually, the truth of the Resurrection took root within them, and their fear was transformed into courage and joy. Today, through her sacred liturgy, the Church proclaims to us this message: Do not seek the living among the dead. Christ is risen! He has conquered death not for himself alone, but for all humanity. As Saint Paul assures us: \u201cIf we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him\u201d (Romans 6:8).<\/p>\n
For us Christians, death is no longer the end. It is not a final extinction. Those who have died in Christ are not lost; they share in his risen life. As Jesus himself said: \u201cI am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even though he dies, yet he shall live\u201d (John 11:25). Easter calls us to live as people of the Resurrection. We are invited to leave behind the \u201ctombs\u201d of sin, fear, and despair, and to walk in the newness of life. Let us fix our eyes on the risen Lord who is alive among us. May the joy of Easter fill our hearts, strengthen our faith, and renew our hope. Amen.<\/p>\n
Scripture Readings: Beginning with the Easter Vigil, we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the day when Jesus broke the chains of death and rose in triumph from the grave. He did this not for himself alone, but for all of us. He invites us to share in his great victory over sin and death, as Saint Paul […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-weekly-homilies"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/strong>Acts 10:34a, 37\u201343 \u2022 Col 3:1\u20134 \u2022 Jn 20:1\u20139<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"