Mary of Magdala comes to the tomb during the wee hours of the morning while it is still dark and finds the stone rolled away. She runs to Peter and John to share with them the news, that: “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him” (Jn 20:2). Peter and John retrace the steps of Mary, running to find the tomb empty as well. All three are stunned because “they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead” (Jn 20:9).
How can we blame them? Do we fully understand the reality and fact that Jesus has risen from the dead? There are conjectures tossed about today such as Jesus did not really die, but woke up three days later, aching all over from the excruciating effects of the crucifixion. Others say that the accounts of the resurrection were mass hallucinations, or that the Gospel accounts of Jesus rising from the dead are a mere myth. These propositions do not stand up to the fact that Jesus, fully God and fully man died, entered death, and conquered it. In so doing, he entered into a new life, a new reality. Jesus, in becoming the firstborn of the dead, was transfigured from our three-dimensional reality that we all know and experience, such that he now resonates at a higher pitch and dimensional reality. Jesus is the firstborn of a new creation!
All of human history changed in that tomb because of this new fact of the resurrection of Jesus. How this has happened is indeed a mystery, but in our seeking understanding, we will fall short and be frustrated if we only approach the mystery of God in the same way that we tackle a problem to be solved. The Apostles and disciples of Jesus struggled to find meaning and understanding about how Jesus crucified was now gone from the tomb. They came to understand the mystery of the Resurrection, the same way that they would come to believe in the mystery that Jesus is fully human and fully divine. This happened when they encountered Jesus again. The mystery of the Resurrection is not a problem to be solved, but a person to encounter, a relationship to embrace, as it was for the Apostles and is so for each of us today.
Faith seeking understanding is grounded in having an encounter with a person, Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Pope Francis writes: “The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness” (Francis, 9).
Easter Sunday is the day where this joy first truly became possible, and this joy is needed now more than ever. For in each age there has been darkness in the world. Sin, suffering, violence, division, and death continue to be present in people’s experiences. Yet, because of this day, we celebrate Jesus’ victory over death. We celebrate the truth that the light has overcome the darkness, that suffering and death do not have the final answer, Jesus does. We can place our hope in Jesus so that no matter what challenges we are experiencing he will guide and accompany us.
We are an alleluia people, meaning that no matter what anguish or trial, we are a people endowed with hope in the One who conquered death. God has loved us into existence and continues to love us in such a way that the promise of eternity is real, where suffering and death are no more! Also, Jesus reminds us that he cares, that we are not alone now this side of heaven, and we will persevere and overcome sin, suffering, and even death when we surrender our minds and hearts to him. In that surrender, we will have access to his peace that surpasses all understanding.
Mary of Magdala shared the good news with Peter and John that the tomb was empty and the stone was rolled away. Jesus rolled back the stone, rolled back death, and he opened up heaven for us in the humanity he assumed, the death he conquered, and the resurrection we celebrate today! Alleluia! Alleluia!
May God bless each of you and fill you with his joy and peace! Happy Easter!!!
————————————————–
Photo: A quiet holy hour Saturday afternoon preparing to celebrate the Easter Vigil in which I was blessed to baptize 7 and confirm 17 joy filled disciples of Jesus!!!
Francis. Evangelii Gaudium, Joy of the Gospel, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Frederick, MD: The Word Among Us Press, 2013.
Spiritual Stepping Stones