Easter Meditation 2017

Easter Sunday
The Resurrection of the Lord

Reading 1 ACTS 10:34A, 37-43
Reading 2 COL 3:1-4
Gospel JN 20:1-9

Meditation:
Christ is Risen! Indeed he is Risen!
Today billions around the world celebrate the glorious resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is the most significant event in human history. The Gospel gives is the description of the empty tomb, the stone that was rolled away.

Christ is Risen! Indeed he is Risen!

At the Easter Vigil tens of thousands were baptized throughout the world, dying with Christ and rising with him in the waters of baptism. The stone has rolled away, sin and death hold them no more and they inherit the promise of eternal life. Christ is Risen! Indeed he is Risen!

The woman ran to tell the disciples, who themselves ran to see the empty tomb and finally they understood that He had to rise, that saw and believed. The stone of ignorance, doubt and fear had been rolled away. Christ is Risen! Indeed he is Risen!

In the first reading from the Book of Acts we see Peter preaching the Good News of the Risen Christ: "They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance..."
Peter is no longer a denier but a 'witness'. Pilate 'asked what is truth?' Well this is the truth: Christ is Risen! Indeed he is Risen!

God continues to choose his witnesses 'in advance' and now it happens to fall on us. We are the witnesses of this present day. The world is dark and gloomy. We speak of 'mother-of-all-bombs' and nuclear weapons as if they were something purchased in Toys R Us and not capable of annihilating all life as we know it on the face of the earth. The daily news can be fearful and dark but today I say to you turn off the TV, turn on the Gospel and fear no more. Christ is Risen! Indeed he is Risen!

We are called to be an Easter people, filled with hope and carrying its fruit: joy. Today we celebrate and we face the world and all its trials, not with the fear of man, but with the strength of the Risen Lord. The stone is rolled away, Christ is Risen! Indeed he is Risen!
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Happy Easter.