He is Risen!!!

Although we often encounter the Resurrection narrative from the Gospel of St. John on Easter Sunday morning, it is instructive and edifying for us to spend time in reflection on the Resurrection found in each in the Gospels.  As this is the third year of our three-year liturgical cycle, let us examine the Resurrection found within the Gospel of St. Luke.

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb taking the spices that they had prepared.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body.  While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.  The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen.  Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’  Then they remembered His words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.  Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.  But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.  But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves then he went home, amazed at what had happened.”

As we encounter this Gospel text, we see that this account fits quite well with the one we usually hear on Easter Sunday morning.  In John’s Gospel both Peter and John run to the tomb, John arrives first and only looks in.  When Peter comes along behind John, he runs right into the tomb and sees the wrappings.  John then goes in, sees the wrappings and Scripture tells us, “He saw and believed.” (John 20:8b)

In both of these encounters with the empty tomb we see the faith of the apostles and disciples as something that is just beginning.  It is like a small seed which needs to be tended and fed so that it may grow.  In encountering the faith of the apostles on that Easter Sunday morning, we reflect on our own faith in the Resurrection of Jesus.

Within Luke’s Gospel we see this growth immediately after the encounter at the tomb, by the two disciples going to Emmaus.  These disciples encounter Jesus in His expounding on the Scriptures to them as they travel.  And then finally when they are taking their rest at an inn, He reveals Himself in the breaking of bread, the Eucharist.  We see here that the small infant faith of the disciples is fed and grows in an encounter with Jesus in both Word and the Eucharist.  And we see also that these two mutually penetrate each other.  The Word, which has informed them, helps them to see Christ in the Bread, the Eucharist, and the eucharistic encounter allows them to acknowledge that their hearts burned within them, when they heard the Scriptures being opened. 

My brothers and sisters, as we joyfully come to our parish churches to give glory and praise to Almighty God Who raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, let us realize that we too are like these women at the tomb; we too are like these disciples journeying to Emmaus.  We know that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead, but we often do not realize the full extent of our faith.  In order to do this, we, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, must continue to encounter our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It is never enough just to say that we believe and nothing more.  Like those disciples on the road, we must listen to the Word of God.  We also must encounter our Lord in the Breaking of Bread, the Holy Eucharist, where we receive His true Body and Blood in Holy Communion.  All of this happens most fully within the context of our participation in the celebration of Holy Mass.

At Mass we partake of the Sacrament of Penance where we are joined to the forgiveness of sins that was won for us upon the Cross.  At Mass we partake of the Sacrament of the Word of God, in which like the disciples on the road, the Scriptures are opened for us and our hearts are made to burn within us as we hear.  And lastly and most importantly we encounter the risen Jesus within the Breaking of Bread, the Eucharist.  We receive the Risen Jesus, His Body and Blood, which hung upon the Cross for the forgiveness of our sins and was raised up for our Salvation.

St. Paul speaks of the promises that come to us from this faith in his Letter to the Romans.  “No distrust made him [Abraham] waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised.  Therefore his faith ‘was reckoned to him as righteousness.’  Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him’ were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also.  It will be reckoned to us who believe in Him Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, Who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.” (Romans 4:20-25)

So to my brother Bishops, the Very Rev. and Rev. Fathers, the Deacons and all the faithful of the Polish National Catholic Church as well as our brothers and sisters, the bishops, priests and faithful of the Nordic Catholic Church, I extend to you all my blessings on this glorious solemnity of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He has gone to the Cross for the forgiveness of our sins and was raised from the dead to triumph over sin and death and reign victoriously.  He lives today and because of His life, we too live in God’s presence.  Again, St. Paul tells us, “I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the One Who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Romans 18-21)

So let us in this Easter season, celebrate the Resurrection of Christ from the dead.  Let us celebrate in the glorious freedom of the children of God.  Let us partake of His presence within the pronouncement of His Word and in the reception of Holy Communion.  Let us resolve to build and extend His kingdom starting within our own hearts and then expanding it to our homes, our parishes, our community and the world.

Let us declare, not only in our words, but with our entire lives, “Christ is Risen!!!  He is Risen, indeed!!! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!!!”