This weekend we celebrate the greatest event of our faith…the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church. Did you know that? Let me list three prominent reasons for this assertion:
1) The resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian faith. It is the greatest of the miracles, for it proves that Jesus is divine. If the resurrection had not occurred, most likely there would be no Christianity today. Jesus would have been thought of as just one more person claiming to have supernatural powers! That is why St. Paul writes: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your faith is in vain” (1 Cor 15: 14). “Jesus is Lord, he is risen” (Rom 10: 9), was the central theme of the preaching of the apostles, because Jesus prophesied His Resurrection as a sign of His divinity. Do you remember Him saying: “Tear down this temple and in three days I will build it again” (John 2: 19). The founder of no other religion has an empty tomb as Jesus has.
2) Easter is the guarantee of our own resurrection. Jesus told Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies” (John 11: 25-26).
3) Easter is a feast which gives us hope and encouragement in this world of pain, sorrow and tears. It reminds us that life IS worth living. It is our belief in the Real Presence of the risen Jesus in our souls, in His Church, in the Blessed Sacrament and in Heaven that gives meaning to our personal lives…strength to fight against temptations and freedom from unnecessary worries and fears.
Easter gives us the joyful message that we are a “resurrection people.” This means that we are not supposed to lie buried in the “tomb” of our selfishness or doubts. Instead, we are expected to live a joyful and peaceful life, constantly experiencing the living presence of the resurrected Lord in all the events of our lives and amid the boredom, pain and tensions of our day-to-day life. Our awareness of the all-pervading presence of the Risen Lord in and around us, and the strong conviction of our own resurrection, gives us the hope for which we long. We are called to be transparent Christians, showing others through our lives the love, mercy, compassion and spirit of self-sacrificing service of the risen Jesus living in our hearts. Finally, let us recall that, each time we try to practice Christian charity, mercy and forgiveness and each time we fight against temptations, we share in the resurrection of Jesus. Egyptian pyramids are world-famous as one of the “seven Wonders” of the ancient world. But they are actually gigantic tombs containing the mummified bodies of Egyptian Pharaohs. Westminster Abby is famous, and thousands visit it, because the dead bodies of famous writers, philosophers and politicians are entombed there. But there is a Shrine of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, and pilgrims from all over the world visit a tomb there which is empty with a note at its entrance which says, “He is not here.” It is famous because Jesus Christ, who was once buried there, rose from the dead, leaving an empty tomb, as he had told his disciples he would. Thus, he worked the most important miracle in his life, defying the laws of nature and proving that he is God. We rejoice at this great and unique event by celebrating Easter. Gospel Question of the Week”: would your friends describe YOU as an Easter Person!