Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord (ABC)

 

April 4, 2021                                                                    

Readings:

First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 10: 34a, 37-43

Psalm 118 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.”

Second Reading: Colossians 3: 1-4

Gospel reading according to John 20: 1-9

+

Homily: 

Alleluia!  Alleluia! The Lord is risen from the tomb.  Alleluia! Alleluia!

Mary of Magdala’s love for her Master and Lord Jesus Christ was beyond telling.  She could not leave Jesus on the tomb with uncompleted embalming or pouring of perfume/alabaster oil.  She really wanted a clean body of Jesus.  But she was not alone when she went in the tomb; she was not also alone in this thinking and planning of cleaning the dead body of Jesus, even her companions wanted to do this.  Then, after the Passover Feast, very early in the morning, still dark, on the very first day of the week, Mary and companions came to the tomb of Jesus.  “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” (John 20: 1).  “While it was still dark,” has a deep meaning and significant connotation.  The world was still covered with darkness, of sinfulness and indifferences.  Darkness belongs to the devil, to Satan and his cohorts.  Darkness is ruled by the evil one, while light is ruled by the good One.  The evil thought is still widespread in the dark world.  But the light had conquered the darkness of the evil world.  The dark world had seen the light of the new day.  The dawning of another day has come to light.  There is now a new hope, a new life, a new perspective and a new attitude in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.   As Mary and companions went to the tomb, she was full of enthusiasm, of love and confidence that nothing happened to her beloved Jesus, but nevertheless she and her companions did not expect what they had discovered and saw, a stone cover rolled open up from the tomb.   The tomb was opened.

She had already a conclusion, her instinct told her that her Master and Lord had been taken away by someone, who was very interested to the dead body of Jesus.  She thought that Jesus’ body was stolen and hid somewhere else, without coming closer and looked inside the tomb, and to see whether Jesus’ body was still there or not.  And she decided to inform Simon Peter, the known leader of the disciples and Apostles, and it also happened that John, whom Jesus loved, was there also, and so she too informed him.  Her companions might have remained in the tomb watching and waiting for the coming of the Apostles with Mary, for only Mary at that moment became apostle to the Apostles, in bringing and announcing the news.  “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 20: 2).  Mary announced to Simon Peter and John the empty tomb and that someone took the dead body of Jesus and hid it in another place or cemetery or tomb, so that nobody can find it and retrieve it.

That early morning, still dark, while the disciples and Apostles were hiding from the Temple’s leaders and authorities due to fear for their lives, and some were still sleeping, Simon Peter and John with Mary ran to the tomb to see whether Mary’s report was true or not.  They lost their fear, the darkness of their hearts was enlightened by their love to their Master and Teacher.  They conquered their fear and replaced it with courage and strength, and enthusiasm and interest on the news, on the good news – of an empty tomb!  “So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.  They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in” (John 20: 3-5).  Simon Peter and John, as if on the race, ran fast, maybe to avoid seeing or encountering the Roman and the temple soldiers roaming around that night.  Since Simon Peter was a little bit old and John was still young, John ran faster than Peter, and first reached the tomb.  He just peeped in to see the inside of the tomb but did not enter into it.  He waited for the coming of Simon Peter, their recognized leader. 

Simon, at last reached the tomb.  Immediately, he entered into the tomb and saw the burial cloths and the cloths that covered the head of Jesus, though it was separated from the burial cloths.  “When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place” (John 20: 6-7).  Only the burial cloths and the covering of the head of Jesus Simon Peter were found but not of the body, for it was resurrected and transformed into a new body different from our own body.

John who came first in the tomb but did not yet enter into it, had now a chance to witness the wonderful event in his life.  “Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believe” (John 20: 8).  He entered the tomb and saw very clearly the success of what Jesus told them before, his rising from the dead – the resurrection.  John saw, witnessed and believed.

Before the resurrection, they did not understand the Scripture passage of the suffering Messiah, the sacrificial Lamb of God, and the Son of God for they did not yet experience the resurrection of the dead into life.  “For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead” (John 20: 9).  Now it is clear to them what the Scripture was telling about the rising from the dead when Jesus set as an example for all who believe in him when he experienced his own passion, crucifixion, death, and his triumph over death by resurrection, and glorification.  Amen.

Alleluia!  Alleluia! The Lord is risen from the tomb.  Alleluia! Alleluia!