Easter Sunday, April 09, 2023

First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Psalm # 118 R  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4.  Or  1 Corinthians 5:6b-8
Gospel Acclamation Verse: Christ, our Paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed;
let us feast with joy in the Lord. (1 Cor. 5:7-8) Alleluia
Gospel:  John 20:1-18
Theme: He Has Risen! We are Easter People. Death is not the end!

Commentary by Jane Prini

Have you ever wondered what eggs have to do with signs of Spring and Easter? Eggs can hatch into chicks. They become a new creation. Eggs can look and feel as dead and lifeless as a hard cold stone. They show no obvious signs of life. In many ways it is something like the stone tomb where the body of Jesus was laid on Good Friday. Both have cold, hard ‘shells’ that seem to cover a cold dark space inside. Yet something amazing happens. New life breaks forth from the egg to hatch a baby chick with shells left behind, just as Jesus broke free from death and rose to life from his tomb.
Jesus has risen from the grave as He said he would!  

Instead of egg shells, for Jesus, it was an empty tomb with its stone rolled away. Jesus died and was risen once for all. His empty tomb told his disciples that he had risen from the dead and conquered death. We are Easter people. Easter people believe death is not the end. 

All four gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) agree on these seven things: 1) it was early in the morning on Sunday, 2) women go to the tomb, 3) the stone is rolled away 4) angels are there     5) the tomb is empty  6) there is fear and confusion 7) Fact: Jesus is not there!  

We have four eyewitness accounts; all the same. This is strong, and hardly ever happens that eye witnesses agree. It is what our Christian faith is built upon. We are Easter people. Put another way, our lives are filled with holy moments. We know that faith conquers fear. We know where we are going. Jesus promised that for those who believe in him, death is not the end. Jesus only does resurrections.

The good news message is that when Jesus, the King of kings, rose from the grave, he restored our broken relationship with God the Father. He became a bridge between our broken world and the Heavenly Father. As today’s psalm proclaims: “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it”! (Psalm 118)

Can you imagined what Jesus’ friends might have been feeling on that day? Mary Magdalene finds the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb. She tells the others. Peter and the other disciple run to find only the burial clothes in the tomb. They believe her. When Mary looks into the tomb she sees two men in bright shining clothes who want to know why she is weeping. Then Mary meets Jesus in the garden and is given the mission to go and tell the others. She was no longer afraid. Her fear turned to joy. She went back and told the others, “I have seen the Lord!” Jesus had risen! What a happy day!

You and I have reason to be happy today. We are happy because we know that Jesus rose from the grave and that He lives forever. This is reason enough for daily celebrations, but we recall and celebrate His joyous resurrection every Sunday when we gather to relive the surprise and joy of that first Easter morning. We know Jesus wants us to tell others about him. We are also happy because we know that scripture tells us that ‘whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) Now that is something to be happy about, isn't it?   

Prayer for Families: Heavenly Father, I have spent all of Lent preparing to celebrate with Jesus on Easter! Thank you Jesus for conquering death and rising from the dead on the first Easter Sunday! Help me to continue to grow closer to You throughout the Easter Season! Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. 

CLICK,  MUCH,MUCH, MORE FOR FAMILY RESOURCES, Colouring Page, Cross Word Puzzle and Word Search
 

CLICK HERE, THERE IS MUCH, MUCH MORE FOR FAMIY RESOURCES