My Dear People.

Happy Easter to all.

Today is indeed the greatest Christian Feast! Fulfilling the promise He made when He said He was going to rise on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead. His Resurrection was the ultimate act that proved everything Jesus did and said would come true. It made a difference between going forward or giving up. 

One would think since Jesus promised to rise from the dead on the third day the Apostles would have been courageous and ready to accept any news of the forthcoming Resurrection. They were, however, so distraught about what was happening to Jesus, they remained locked in the upper room fearing they too would be apprehended.

Because the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene went to the Tomb early Sunday morning intending to anoint the body of Jesus, thinking Jesus’ body had not been anointed because on Friday, as the day was ending, everyone began leaving the site to prepare for the Sabbath. Mary Magdalene was soon rewarded for her dedication because she was one of the first to see that Jesus had indeed risen. 

She rushed to tell Peter and the other Apostles, but they did not believe her.    They were probably thinking: “Why would the Lord appear to her and not to us?”   Peter and John ran to the tomb to make certain. According to the Gospel of John: “When Simon Peter arrived after him (John), he went into the tomb and saw only the burial cloths.  The cloth that had covered Christ’s head was not with the other burial cloths but had been folded and placed separate from the other cloths.  Then the other disciple went in (the one who had arrived at the tomb first), and “he saw and believed”.

 Jesus promised the Apostles they would be fishers of men, and His resurrection was the one act that transformed and confirmed their beliefs. The turning point for John was when he saw the burial cloths in the tomb and not the body of Jesus.   If someone had stolen the body, they would have taken the burial cloths as well.  If it was true that Jesus was raised, He would not need burial cloths. John saw and then believed. 

May this Easter be a special time for everyone! May the risen Jesus give you comfort and hope in your lives! 

Easter Blessings to all,  

Fr. Vincent