Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 20, 1-9
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.
Christ is risen!
1. At dawn. It’s very early in the morning, the moment to prepare yourself for something new. To resurrect doesn’t mean returning to how things were but rather choosing to live differently. It means living life fully, learning from past struggles, and accepting the hard times you have faced, accepting that you’ve been crucified. Rising again is about giving yourself another chance after going through pain—at home, at work, or among friends. It means deciding to see your life in a new way. To resurrect is to find what gives meaning to your life and to remember that living means starting over, rekindling your desire to give yourself to others out of love for God and yourself, and sharing that love with others.
2. Testimony. Mary of Magdala runs to tell the disciples what she has seen; there’s something in her heart that moves her and leads her to announce. Today we need missionaries, Christians who’ll go out and announce. That’s what we Christians are called to do: announce, take God’s light to others. In each Eucharist we receive the strength to do this. We’re not meant to fix everyone’s problems, but to share God’s light with them.
3. Risen from the dead. You are alive and your heart is still beating. Make the most of your life and set goals for yourself. Be prudent in your relationships, learn to ask for forgiveness if you make mistakes, give your best, have faith, and don’t be afraid to try new things because God is with you. Show that you are alive through your actions, words, and the way you treat others. May the power of the Risen Christ help you to keep working for your own happiness and the happiness of those around you.
Happy Easter!
Always remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and guard you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
