First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4
Gospel: John 20:1-9
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” (Ps118:24) Our Psalm response today proclaims that today, Easter Sunday is the “day of the Lord” as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ! The centuries of waiting for the “day of the Lord” were over…and while centuries have passed, the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that is the Paschal Mystery is made present to us in every sacrifice of the Mass.
Peter, in our 1st reading (Easter morning Mass) from the Acts of the Apostles (10:34a, 37-43) summarizes the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and “that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” Peter’s preaching was delivered in the home of Cornelius – a non-Jew…so the message centers on the resurrection of Jesus Christ – for both Jew and Gentile.
In our gospel, we hear about the “beloved disciple”, assumed to be St. John who “saw and believed”. John’s love for Jesus enabled him to recognize that Jesus had risen. John was able to “see” with the eyes of faith. Through faith, a gift from God, we also believe in the risen Jesus Christ. That belief is more than an intellectual knowledge…the risen Christ penetrates both our minds and hearts…and our lives, our actions, even in the most ordinary tasks of a day proclaim that Jesus Christ is risen! While we may not consciously think in every task throughout our day about proclaiming the risen Christ…it is the love in which we perform our daily duties that shows forth the power of the risen Christ to everyone we encounter, from family, co-workers, neighbors or classmates.
The power of the risen Christ is rooted in love and it can’t be any other way – since our God is love as St. John tells us. “They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” as the popular hymn proclaims. The power of Risen Christ is brought to the world through us, as we strive to love in each thought, word and action – on our own, we have no power – we pray to remain always united to the risen Lord Jesus Christ, who shares his power with us and who is the source of our strength (Phil4:13).
May your Easter be blessed with the joy of knowing the risen Lord Jesus Christ! Deacon Mike