Word to the Wise
Sunday, April 9, 2023 -
[Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; John 20:1-9 or Luke 24:13-35 (for afternoon Masses),234]On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." [John]
I have mentioned this story before but it remains a favorite. A friend of mine was asked by her infant son on Easter Day why they were at Mass? She replied that it was because Jesus had risen from the dead. His next question can stop us, "Well, where is he?" Mary Magdalen, Peter and John were asking the same question! The initial astonishing question would be replaced by another astonishment when Jesus appeared to them and the other disciples at the tomb and in the Upper Room and on the Road to Emmaus! But it would take awhile for all of this to sink in. As today's gospel scripture from the Gospel According to John states: "For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead."
When St. Paul was on trial before the Roman prefect, Porcius Festus, the Jewish leader, Agrippa, came to visit and Festus sent Jesus to him with a note regarding Paul's accusers saying: "His accusers stood around him, but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected. Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died but who Paul claimed was alive." [Acts 25:18-19]
This is what we proclaim today. CHRIST HAS DIED! CHRIST IS RISEN! CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN! We proclaim, all these centuries now, that Jesus lived, died and rose from the dead, and this proclamation is worth our lives!! It is the reason we sing and say, "ALLELUIA!" His life and death would be noteworthy, but it is his resurrection that makes Jesus more than noteworthy. He is LORD!! We will say many times today, "HAPPY EASTER!" But we can say more if we proclaim: CHRIST IS RISEN! ALLELUIA! It will be for many of us our first Easter homily!! AMEN
To all my Beloved Congregation I wish a blessed Easter celebration of the resurrection of the Lord! CHRIST IS RISEN! ALLELUIA!