Easter Victory
One
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!
We read in John’s Gospel, “Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag′dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes” (Jn 20:1-9).
They have taken him, Mary says.
Peter and John see burial clothes of which someone bothered to take the time to roll up, putting linens in one place, and the napkin, now folded, placed in another.
This was not the work of thieves, of enemies, of the nameless rabble who called for Christ’s death. These didn’t steal the Body, but something happened; utterly inscrutable, life-changing, Cosmic: He is Risen!
Two
In an age of the cult of celebrity, where personal value and validation are determined by the number of likes one gets on some social media account, the actions of Christ are simply intolerable. He allows himself to be mocked, argued with, bound, beaten, tortured, and killed. And then, He rises, but with no fanfare, no trumpets nor red carpets nor paparazzi. No posting of selfies about His amazing feat. No 4 billion likes on social media accounts. No pod-cast appearances; just silence. The most magnificent day that could possibly happen, surpassing even that of the creation, (which He did from nothing) Jesus rises from the Dead, changing the entire cosmic scheme of things, offering to you and me freedom from sin so to live eternally! And yet for too many, this Easter Day gets treated like any other. Is it merely Christ’s humility, or audacious ingratitude that shrouds the deeds and feats of Christ in obscurity? Do I really believe what just happened, what Jesus just did for me? How would my life look different if I weren’t destined for eternal joy? Would my decisions change? Would anyone notice?
Three
The Resurrection changes everything! Every decision I make is now weighted with eternal possibilities. Every desire hatched in my heart; every thought wrought in my head, every deed performed now has a new capacity to reach a new remarkable destiny—Resurrected and eternal life with God. I also retain the possibility to reject this marvel of the resurrection and choose my own selfish plans. The choice is still mine. The CCC states, “On no point does the Christian faith encounter more opposition than on the resurrection of the body” (#996). Perhaps its because we don’t believe that this body is tied to my spiritual life, is tied to Christ, is tied to eternity. Without Christ’s Incarnation, life, death and Resurrection, my body becomes a shell, a husk, or worse, a billboard or tool I use to express the despair of a weary and lonely age. Thus, it is our call, yours and mine, to cry out to this despairing, weary world, “Awake, Oh sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light!” (From Office of Readings, Holy Saturday).
Four
The following is attributed to an ancient homily from Bishop Mileto of Sardis (180 AD), “O sleeper, I order you to awake! I did not create you to be held in a prison of hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated” (Office of Readings, Holy Saturday). Easter Sunday not only celebrates the victory of Christ over sin and death, indeed, all the works of the devil, it celebrates the very power of Divine Mercy! It is Mercy, not slavish imposition of rules or desire to control us that brought Christ forth. Let us arise now as agents of His Mercy and awake the sleepers!
Five
Day 3 DM Novena: Today bring to Me ALL DEVOUT AND FAITHFUL SOULS and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. The souls brought Me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness.
Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this grace of You by that most wonderous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages. Amen.