Easter Sunday

April 20, 2025

John 20: 1-9

In today’s gospel from John, we have the startling events that happened at Jesus’ tomb early on the Sunday morning. It is clear that what Mary, Peter, and John found were so unexpected as to not make any sense. Their mind’s simply could not compute what they saw. It was too much to take in. Mary Magdalan came to the tomb very early when it was still dark. She could not stay away any longer because she love the Lord so much because he had forgiven her so completely; this changed her life to such a degree that she gave up a life of sin and became one of the greatest believers of Jesus in his lifetime. It was her love that brought her to the tomb so early. She found the stone covering the opening rolled away and in her fear she ran to tell Peter and ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’ who tradition recognizes as John. She thought the body of the Lord had been stolen because she said, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” She was devastated that such a thing could be done. We see that Peter is still seen as the leader, and two people who were very close to Jesus were there also. Peter went in and then John; John, the one Jesus loved, is the only one who took in the scene and can to immediate belief.

Why were the burial clothing told about in such detail? Perhaps John realized that if the body had been stolen, the burial clothes would have been taken with the body, or that if not, it would be all messed up and rumbled being just thrown anywhere. The Greek word describes the them as “lying still in their folds.” This would mean that Jesus did not just take them off, but as if Jesus simply evaporated out of them. So, taking all this in in a glance, John instantly believed. What held up the other making immediate conclusions? John tells us that they “did not yet understand the scripture that he had risen from the dead.” It took time to put all this together, as well as Jesus appearances to the travelers on the road to Emmaus and to the disciples in the upper room a week later. But when it did, startling things began to happen.

The thing that impressed the people the most was not so much Jesus teachings, not his miracles, not the goodness of his life; it was that Jesus has risen from the dead. This was the news that began to spread throughout the world of that time like wildfire; that Jesus had conquered death, that was something that make a difference. It was an idea to live for, and to die for. 

We, in our day, cannot imagine what the burden of death was for those who did not believe. The only thing for a person was this world and what it could bring; if you did not come out on top, then you were doomed to a meager existence of living from pay time to pay time, always wondering what the next day would bring. With Jesus was the belief that life does not end, but merely changes to a life forever with God. Of course, once this was accepted, many more aspects of Jesus' teaching and way were open to a person. Perhaps in our day, there are people who also make this great discovery to new life.

What about us? We have prayed through a long Lent. We have been through the ups and downs of Holy Week. And now, we are joyous to celebrate again the resurrection, the victory over sin and death. We celebrate being the sons and daughters of God and members of the Body of Christ himself. But there is something important to remember: Being Christ’s body and children of his Father calls us to come out of ourselves into a world of misery in which this message is sorely needed. We cannot keep it to ourselves, any more than Peter, Mary and John could. It may not mean that we will preach in the park, but it does mean that it is up to us to make Christ present to people who really need to experience Jesus, not just to hear his teaching or doctrine that come from it. We need to live the good news that Jesus has risen and gives hope to a world which needs hope. This is the love of Peter, Mary of Magdala and John, the disciple Jesus loved; it can be our love as well.

John Masefield wrote a play named The Trial of Christ. In it Procula, Pilate’s wife, is deeply disturbed by the crucifixion of Jesus. Then a Roman centurion, Longinus, comes to her with a message that he has found Christ’s tomb empty. Procula asked him: “Do you believe that he is dead?” “No, my lady.” “Then where is he?” “Loose upon the world, my lady, where neither Jew nor Roman nor Greek nor anyone else can stop his Truth and his Life.” So that’s where the Risen Christ is now: loose in the world! And yes, in many places, his presence his presence means hope. We are that hope as we live out Jesus’ message, and more than just a message, we, who are his Body make him present and visible for all to see. That is the mission that Jesus passed on to us this day.

Fr. John Tran

ReplyForward Add reaction