My Dear People, 

             Happy Easter, everyone! 

             Easter, the most important feast in the Liturgical Calendar, is the feast which made it possible for Christianity to start. Even though the Apostles preached of the crucified Jesus, the difference was He was alive. Jesus appeared to the Apostles on Easter Sunday night to show them He was alive so they would no longer be discouraged. Being witnesses to Jesus’s resurrection, they now would have much greater zeal to preach the gospel. Before Jesus appeared, they were very discouraged, so much so that they did not even believe Mary Magdalene when she told them Jesus was risen from the dead. After Jesus appeared to them that night, the Apostles received the confidence to preach to the masses.  Jesus Christ rose from the dead, just as He had promised.

         When He appeared to the Apostles, He told them, “I will be with you till the end of time.” Jesus was present with the Apostles through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit being one of the persons of the Blessed Trinity, allows that whoever receives and follows the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, follows Jesus. The Holy Spirit follows the will of the Father and the Son. That is a very important element that makes the Trinity one. This tells us, just like the Apostles, we too have to continually choose and invoke the Holy Spirit. With inspiration from the Holy Spirit, we follow Jesus. 

We have received our faith because of those who had it before us. The faith is passed from one believer to another. The first believers, as we read in today’s Gospel, were the first three who witnessed Jesus’ resurrection, and who believed. First Mary Magdalene arrives at the tomb and sees it is empty but concludes that somebody stole the body. Peter and another disciple run to the tomb. When Peter arrives, he looks in and sees the burial cloths, but we are not told anything further--only that the “other disciple” (John) –who had outraced Simon Peter but waited so Peter could enter first, “saw and believed” (John 20:8).

What did he see? What did he believe? Remember, the Gospel of John is a Gospel of signs. All the miracles Jesus performed were a series of signs--water turned into wine; a blind man given sight; and a multitude fed with little food. 

So, what is the sign here?  The cloth covering the head, lying folded, in a separate place. The beloved disciple did not see it until he entered the tomb. 

Going back to Moses, after speaking face to face with God, his face shone brightly. When he left God’s presence, others were afraid to come near him, so Moses covered his face with a cloth.   

Jesus had to put on a veil of flesh, concealing His divinity. Now, no veil was needed. He had returned to the Father. The beloved disciples read the sign. They had begun to see with Easter eyes. 

Next Sunday, April 7th, is Divine Mercy Sunday. We will have a service at 3:00 PM. with the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and prayers. You are invited to participate. 

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Vincent Clemente