Everything that we believe in our faith, all things that we hold so dear to our hearts, and everything that we do here every single Sunday points to this feast that we celebrate today: the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord. Without the resurrection, there is really no point to everything that we do here. Without the resurrection, Christianity or Catholicism would simply be reduced to an ideology or a philosophy of life that tries to articulate how to live a good and moral life. Period. Without the resurrection, what Christ
underwent and experienced – all those healing miracles that he did, his teachings, and his death on the cross would simply be reduced to the experience of a man who did not have good luck in his mission or cause. But Christ did resurrect; he rose from the dead, which means that there’s so much more in store for us after all these things that we have in this life come to end. With the resurrection of Jesus, we have been assured that the faith that we profess is not simply there to guide us or to give us a structure on how to lead a good and moral life –or that after we die – there is nothing more to look forward to, but rather it convinces us that our real citizenship is really in the kingdom of God, and we are truly created for that kingdom.
Listening to the gospel for today, it seems that the characters in the story – Mary Magdalene, Peter and the other disciples— were really in a dilemma on how to understand what they found: the tomb is empty. They themselves could not fathom that the man whom they have been following for quite sometime would truly rise from the dead. They just could not believe it. As soon as Mary Magdalene saw that the tomb was empty, she thought right away that someone must have removed him from the tomb. It was not until Jesus himself appeared to her and introduced himself that she recognized him. They did not realize right away that the tomb was empty because Christ had risen from the dead. Sometimes we can also be like Mary Magdalene or Peter — one might say that he/she has been following the Lord for quite some time or even devoted a great deal of his/her time serving God, but when one is struck or beset with great difficulty, that same believer could easily question whether there is really a point to everything that we believe or if there is even a God out there? The empty tomb strongly suggests to us that God has indeed triumphed over suffering and death. And that sufferings and even death do not really have the final word. One of the contentions against the existence of God is that if there is really God, then why do we have all these sufferings like unexpected health problems, failed relationships, wars and natural catastrophes in the world? Can he not stop them? It seems to be inconsistent with a God who is merciful, compassionate and loving. God could have created us in a very different way without really giving us the option of choosing between right or wrong. But because of his great love for us, he wanted to share with us who he is – and who he is, is someone who is free yet responsible. And this freedom that he gave if not used responsibly could really cause lots of suffering to us and to other people. Wrong and selfish decisions could bring havoc and damage to our lives and to others. But if ever we find ourselves in great difficulty or suffering in whatever aspects of our lives– we take Jesus as a model. “What do you do to reassure someone that a particular drink contains no poison? You drink it yourself first, in front of him. This is what God has done for humanity: he has drunk the bitter cup of the passion. So, human suffering cannot be a poisoned chalice; it must be more than negativity, loss, absurdity, if God himself has chosen to savor it. At the bottom of the chalice/cup, there must be a pearl. We know the name of that pearl: resurrection! As what St. Paul wrote to the Romans, "In my estimation, all that we suffer in the present time is nothing in comparison with the glory which is destined to be disclosed for us" (Romans 8:18), and again we also hear these words from the Book of Revelation: "He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness or pain. The world of the past has gone" (Revelations 21:4).
So whatever our situation may be right now— struggling with a chronic illness, loss of a loved one, failed relationships, financial hardships, acceptance from family or whatever it maybe – remember that Christ is no longer in the tomb; he is absent in the tomb because he is already in our midst. And that means he has given us new hope and new life. Do our lives give witness to the joy of resurrection? Or are we still stuck in Good Friday?
We would like to welcome once again those who have been received to the Church during the Easter Vigil. They have been journeying with us for several months, learning and integrating themselves in our faith family. We are so thrilled that they are “officially” part of us. We pray for their continued perseverance in their newfound commitment, and may their faithful witness to the faith be a source of inspiration for own unique discipleship. Thanks to the RCIA team led by Deacon David Hammes and Mike and Peggy Flanigan who worked really hard to make this journey a meaningful and joyful one.
Happy Easter! -– Fr. Cary