Jesus is Risen! Sin has been defeated, and death no longer holds any power over us!
In the gospel of today’s Easter Sunday Mass, we hear about the discovery of the empty tomb by Mary Magdalen, John, and Peter (John 20:1-9). You would think that this gospel passage would reflect all the joy and hope in the words that opened this reflection. But that’s not exactly what we hear. Rather, we hear a story of panic, confusion, and wavering faith. Mary Magdalene thinks Jesus’ body has been stolen. Peter seems stunned by the empty tomb. And John begins to believe, but he still seems to leave the scene a bit unsure. Where is the joy? What about the victory that Jesus had promised?
Well, that victory was just about to break through for Jesus’ disciples. You see, the empty tomb was not enough. One more thing needed to happen. The disciples needed to meet the Risen Jesus and be filled with his Spirit.
Scripture tells us that, after his resurrection, Jesus appeared numerous times to his disciples. And it was these personal encounters with the Risen Jesus (as well as the experience of Pentecost) that made all the difference for them. These encounters moved Jesus’ disciples from a place of despair to a place of hope, from anguish to joy, from fear to fearlessness, from confusion to peace, from hatred and anger to love and forgiveness, from doubt to faith. Moreover, these encounters inspired Jesus’ disciples to go out and proclaim the “Good News” so that others would be moved in the same way.
And it is the same for us.
Hearing about an empty tomb is not good enough. Like Peter, John, and Mary, it leaves us a bit confused, afraid, unsure, and wanting something more. But we realize that the empty tomb points away from itself to something else. The absence of Jesus’ body promises a new presence, a presence that allows a fullness of contact with Jesus – a Spirit-filled contact. Just like it was for the disciples two thousand years ago, it is the presence of the Risen Christ that makes all the difference for us. It is our personal encounter with the Risen Christ that is life-changing for us. It is our ever-deepening relationship with Jesus that’s the most important thing in our lives.
Indeed, Pope Francis encourages us: “Let the Risen Jesus enter your life. Welcome him as a friend with trust. He is life!”. So, we heed these words. On this most special day, and every day, we invite Jesus into our lives. We welcome him, not only as our Lord and Savior, but as our faithful friend. We welcome him, knowing that he will receive us with open arms and a loving embrace. We welcome him without fear, knowing that God’s love is immeasurable, and his forgiveness is unconditional. We welcome Jesus and accept the peace, joy, and hope that only God can offer.
But just as it was for those first disciples two thousand years ago, there is more for us to do.
As Fr. Ronald Haney reminds us, “Jesus persuades us with his resurrection power to cause resurrection in the lives of others, to help others come alive, to draw others into that fullness of life for which Jesus laid down his life”. So, we respond to this “persuasion”. We find ourselves compelled to go out and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. We become, as Pope Francis describes, “sentinels of the morning who awaken hearts and resurrect hope”. We do this so that others can encounter the Risen Jesus and be drawn into the fullness of life that God desires for everyone.
So, we continue onward. We move on from the empty tomb. We once again welcome the Risen Christ into our lives. We allow Jesus to raise us up, transform us, and make us new. And then we do the same for others.
Happy Easter!