Easter Sunday
During the past week we have, in various ways, travelled the path with Jesus as He lived the first Holy Week. The Scripture readings at Mass for the past week indicate for us just how much Jesus was able to predict of what was about to happen: seeing the anointing by Mary as a preparation for his burial; predicting for the apostles that they would see a ‘colt tethered’ waiting for them and the man carrying the jar of water in whose house they would eat the Passover meal; the identification of His betrayer. We can, to some extent, identify with the many emotions that these events provoke and, though we can never really know what it was like to be there, the writings of the evangelists and the portrayal of artists down the years, give us a ‘virtual experience’.
The morning of the Resurrection is different! There are no witnesses. It is not possible to pen a description or to paint the scene. We must rely on our Faith strengthened by the Sacred Scriptures and the conviction of our fellow disciples of the past two thousand years.
Can we go with Mary of Magdala or with Peter and John to the tomb? Mary is full of grief and can’t wait till dawn to go to pray at the tomb. She is a faithful disciple and feels the loss of her Master and friend. All that concerns her is that ‘they have taken the Lord out of the tomb’. When Peter entered the tomb he took note of the facts: the lined cloths lying on the ground; the cloth that had been over the head of Jesus, beside it. He noted the evidence as a detective would. He only saw the emptiness. Then John went in. He saw and he believed. All he saw was fullness, fullness of truth and life, just as Jesus had promised. Peter and John went home then, each with his own thoughts. Mary remained, grieving and praying until the Lord revealed Himself to her in the intimacy of calling her name, ‘Mary’! She went and told the others; “The Lord has risen from the Dead”
St Paul says, that “If Jesus has not risen from the dead our Faith is in vain”.
Today, we come in Faith to celebrate His Resurrection!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!