Sunday, April 20, 2003
Easter Sunday

1st Reading: Acts 10:34, 37-43

Peter spoke to them, "Truly, I realize that God does not show partiality. No doubt you have heard of the event that occurred throughout the whole country of the Jews, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism John preached. You know how God anointed Jesus the Nazarean with Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all who were under the devil's power, because God was with him; we are witnesses of all that he did throughout the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem itself. Yet they put him to death by hanging him on a wooden cross.

"But God raised him to life on the third day and let him manifest himself, not to all the people, but to the witnesses that were chosen beforehand by God-to us who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from death. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to bear witness that he is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. All the prophets say of him, that everyone who believes in him has forgiveness of sins through his Name."

2nd Reading: Col 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things. For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, reveals himself, you also will be revealed with him in Glory.

Gospel: Jn 20:1-9

On the first day after the Sabbath, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark and she saw that the stone blocking the tomb had been moved away. She ran to Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved. And she said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don't know where they have laid him."

Peter then set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter.

Then Simon Peter came following him and entered the tomb; he, too, saw the linen cloths lying flat. The napkin, which had been around his head was not lying flat like the other linen cloths but lay rolled up in its place. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and believed.

Scripture clearly said that he must rise from the dead, but they had not yet understood that.

Commentary

It must have been a mind-bending experience for the disciples to discover that Jesus had risen from the dead. Nothing could have prepared them for this moment. From the pits of despair they had been in since Good Friday, they have now come face to face with this awesome event, Jesus is no longer dead, but risen as he had said. And so they ran, raced even, to get to the tomb and see for themselves, experience for themselves what Mary had herself experienced. It must have been something totally awesome. Easter Sunday is the central point around which the entire Christian faith revolves. It represents for all of us, the final word spoken by God through his Son, Jesus Christ. And it is a word of promise to all those who follow in the path of Christ, the path of humility and suffering and even death, but a path that ends not in death, but in life eternal.

Read also: • Gospel Reflections by Fr. Gerry Pierse, C.Ss.R.
          • Biblical Commentaries from Diario Biblico

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