Sunday Reflections

We read in today’s gospel about a very human response of not only the disciples but the Apostles to the death of Jesus.  First Mary of Magdala goes to the tomb early in the morning so as not to be seen by anyone.  She if full of grief given not only His death but how he died.  Then seeing the stone removed from his tomb, she runs back to the others and frantically tells them what she saw.  Now two of His apostles run back, and in the tomb see His body is gone. 

There is no memory of His teachings about his resurrection, only shock and concerned for what the authorities have done with His body. But then, “…they saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture’s story that he had to rise from the dead”.  By rising from the dead, Jesus proved beyond a shadow of doubt that he has power over sin and death. 

How will we choose to react to this news as we can’t see the evidence with our own eyes?  Jesus so loved his Father, that he offered his life through a most excruciating death, to unite all of humanity from the beginning of humankind to us today, with God.  How will we choose to pay homage to His death for our sins?  Will we choose to offer our imagination to His thoughts, our hands for His work and our mouths to praise Him?

The first reading sums up what is always front and centre when we proclaim the good news up to and including His resurrection.   Our responsibility as His disciples is to, “bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name”.

And the second reading reminds us of what we can look forward to by being His faithful servants, “then (after our death) you too will appear with him in glory”.

As proclaimed by Fr. Paul Voisin our Superior General, “He is risen!  May the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ fill you with hope and joy.  As we rise with Him, we are sent out into the world to proclaim His Good News, and to share the new life that we have received through His suffering, death, and resurrection.  Happy Easter!”