I extend to you the joy and happiness of this Easter Morning and assure you of my prayerful wishes to you and your family. My prayer for you is simple: that you may appreciate the gift of the Resurrection of Christ even though we don’t fully understand the mystery of God’s love for all of us.
I have an Easter story for you.
It was morning when Mary Magdalene asked me to go with her to the tomb, probably because she knew I was the paralytic man who was lowered through the roof of a house to be cured by Jesus. My name is Ruben. I had been a follower of Jesus ever since the day he cured me from both my paralysis and, more importantly, from my sins.
Mary and I set out in the early morning, while it was still dark, making our way out of the city and passing that holy, yet horrific place of Jesus’ execution. Together we walked in silence. As we passed by Golgotha, I told Mary that I felt drawn to go up the hill where the three empty crosses stood high against the morning sky. Mary Magdala understood, but she was anxious to get to the tomb. So, she went ahead without me.
I felt like a pilgrim walking on holy ground where Jesus had carried his heavy cross. When I got to the foot of the cross, I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks as I re-lived the cruel details of His being crowned with thorns, His falling several times underneath the weight of the cross, the shameful stripping of His clothes and the soldiers mocking and nailing Him to this cross. I literally fell to my knees as I recalled the last words I heard from Jesus, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” These words brought me comfort. I gently kissed the sacred cross and was grateful that the cross was empty.
When I got to the tomb, Mary looked bewildered and shocked. “Ruben, what took you so long? They have stolen the Lord’s body.” I too was stunned as I saw that the large boulder covering the tomb had been moved. It must have taken at least eight strong men to roll away the stone.
Mary was nervous and anxious. She told me, “Ruben, I have to go back and tell Peter about this.”
“I will go with you,” I said. We found Peter and the beloved disciple at the local coffee shop causally drinking their morning coffee. They both listened intently to Mary’s story of the empty tomb. Peter told the beloved disciple, “John, we have to see for ourselves.” All of us raced back to the tomb.
John got there first, followed by Mary, me and finally Peter. We all waited for Peter before we crawled into the dark tomb. Peter insisted on going in first and we all respected his request.
Peter carefully inspected the tomb. It was empty except for the cloth that was used to wrap Jesus’ body. I couldn’t help but ask, “Why would anyone steal a dead body and why on earth would they take the time to roll up the burial cloths?”
It was Mary who responded by saying, “I don’t understand, but remember what Jesus told us? That he would die and then rise from the dead. I now believe Him. What about you, Peter, John and Ruben?” Each of us made a solemn profession.
Peter’s profession of faith was simple, “This is the man God raised on the third day and granted that He be visible, not to all the people but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance.”
John professed his faith by reminding Mary of what Jesus had said, “I am the Resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”
My simple profession was, “I believe, even though I do not fully understand.”
What if this morning there was no Mass of the Resurrection, would it make a difference to you? What would you do?
I fully realize that the mysteries of the Cross and the mystery of the Resurrection are way too deep to fathom and too profound to comprehend. However, this Paschal Mystery must not be passed over because of its greatness; this mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Christ should be marveled at, meditated upon and prayed over.
After all, one cannot believe in anything one wishes and call it Catholic faith or perform any action one chooses and call oneself moral, or eliminate from one’s life prayer, forgiveness and love, and call himself or herself a follower of Christ.
We all have our tape measure to determine who is a “good Catholic” or who will be saved. But fortunately for us, God’s plan of salvation is broader and more flexible than ours. So here is what you have to believe to be a Catholic Christian:
Do you renounce Satan?
And all his works?
And all his empty promises?
Do you believe in God the Almighty Father?
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
You have just made your profession of Faith. The definition of being a Catholic necessarily includes believing in the historical event of Christ’s Death and Resurrection from the dead.
And this is the challenge of Easter Sunday, to be witnesses to the mystery of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Because Easter is a mystery, we use all kinds of Christian symbols to make the mystery of the Resurrection more understandable.
One of the most common symbols is the Easter lily. This lily is shaped long and narrow, like a tomb, when it is closed but when it opens and buds forth, it is a beautiful flower.
The story is told of a flower shop that mixed up an order. A large arrangement of lilies that was intended to go to a funeral home went to a sports store instead. The sports store had relocated to a new and bigger location.
The sports store received the lilies with the gold letters on the ribbon, which read, “Rest in Peace.”
The funeral home received the flowers that were supposed to go to the sports store and the card read, “Congratulations on your new location.”
The day will come when we will rest in peace AND be in a new location. Hopefully congratulations will be in order.
The message of Easter is hope.
The meaning of Easter is Eternal life.
The reason for Easter is Love.
A heart symbolizes love. For the next 50 days of the Easter season, may your heart be a resurrected heart filled with hope, prayer, forgiveness and compassion.
Happy Easter!
© Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved