Sunday, April 12, 2009

Easter Sunday (B)

Acts 10:34, 37-43; Col 3:1-4; Jn 20:1-9

In Jesus' time and culture, women were not always considered trustworthy; in fact, they were not accepted as credible witnesses in courts. Nobody could have imagined that a woman will be chosen as the first witness to the risen Lord. And yet, Christ, who always took the side of the less privileged, had chosen Mary Magdalene to spread the great news of his resurrection.

Some people would jokingly say that Jesus chose a woman to announce the resurrection because he wanted the news to spread faster. However, Isidore of Seville, a 7th century church father commented on this regard saying: “As a woman (Eve) was first to taste death, so a woman (Mary Magdalene) was first to taste life. As a woman was prescient in the fall, so a woman was prescient in beholding the dawning of redemption, thus reversing the curse upon Eve.”

The gospels give some proofs for the resurrection such as the empty tomb, the missing body of Christ, the presence of two angels in the tomb, and finally the series of Jesus' apparitions. Added to these was the remarkable post-resurrection behavior of the disciples. They started to come out and preach courageously the risen Christ to the people. Normally, people don't die for something that is not true. But the disciples put their lives on the line, and almost all were martyred for the Christian faith. They truly believed in the risen Lord.

It is also interesting that the Christian community mushroomed in Jerusalem, the place where Jesus was brutally killed. The number of Christians in Jerusalem grew from a few dozen to many thousands after the resurrection. Certainly, the people there believed that Christ indeed had risen.

The resurrection has become the foundation of our Christian faith. As Saint Paul explains: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. . . and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. . . But the good news is Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Cor 15:14, 17, 20).

What is the relevance of the mystery of the resurrection for us today?

First of all, the resurrection of Christ guarantees our own resurrection. It was at the tomb of Lazarus that Jesus made this promise to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (Jn 11:25-26). For us believers, death is not the end but the beginning of a full life. Our dead bodies may lie mouldering in the ground, but at the end of time, Jesus will raised us from the dead and grant us eternal life. Even now we believers are already beginning to enjoy true life with Christ.

The challenge for us is to live life now with one eye gazing at heaven. Let us live our life today in preparation for the eternal life to come. It is pointless to use all our time and effort seeking for material possessions because everything on earth is passing. Let us rather seek to do the will of God for this will lead us the way to heaven. As Saint Paul advises in the second reading: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.”

Moreover, the resurrection of Christ inspires us to face life's difficulties and trials with hope and courage. Just like what he said to the women who went to the tomb, Jesus is telling us today “Don't be afraid!” Amidst all pain and suffering, we should remain strong and trustful in the abiding presence of Christ. Life will not end on Good Friday but on Easter Sunday. There will be sunshine after every storm. This is our faith – Christ has conquered sin and death. This is the reason for our Easter celebration. Alleluia! Alleluia!

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