20250420 THE MEANING OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION
20 April 2025, Easter Sunday
First reading |
Acts 10:34,37-43 |
'We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection'
Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 117(118):1-2,16-17,22-23 |
This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love has no end.
Let the sons of Israel say:
‘His love has no end.’
This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;
his right hand raised me up.
I shall not die, I shall live
and recount his deeds.
This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.
This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Second reading |
Colossians 3:1-4 |
Look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is
Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.
Sequence |
Victimae Paschali Laudes
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
offer sacrifice and praise.
The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb;
and Christ, the undefiled,
hath sinners to his Father reconciled.
Death with life contended:
combat strangely ended!
Life’s own Champion, slain,
yet lives to reign.
Tell us, Mary:
say what thou didst see
upon the way.
The tomb the Living did enclose;
I saw Christ’s glory as he rose!
The angels there attesting;
shroud with grave-clothes resting.
Christ, my hope, has risen:
he goes before you into Galilee.
That Christ is truly risen
from the dead we know.
Victorious king, thy mercy show!
Gospel Acclamation | 1Cor5:7-8 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Christ, our passover, has been sacrificed:
let us celebrate the feast then, in the Lord.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 20:1-9 |
He must rise from the dead
It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’
So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
THE MEANING OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 10:34.37-43; PS 118; COL 3:1-4 OR 1 COR 5:6-8; JN 20:1-9]
In the gospel, we read that “it was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb.” Two important points are highlighted here. It was still dark and Mary came to the tomb. Indeed, like Mary, we all live in darkness, especially when we go through trials in life. We cannot understand what is happening to us or our loved ones – why we have lost our job, why we or our loved ones have fallen ill, why our child who is still young had to die, like Jesus. This was the case of Mary of Magdala as well, the woman who loved our Lord dearly. For her, it was truly a disaster that her master suffered such a tragic death. Her love for the Lord and her inability to grasp the event caused her to be in the dark.
Secondly, we are told that Mary came to the tomb. In the synoptic gospels, we read that “when the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.” (MK 16:1) The women went to the tomb to look for the body of Jesus, hoping to anoint His body. To her surprise and that of the other women, “she saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb.” She “came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.'” Their first thought was that His body was stolen and it never crossed their mind that He could have resurrected.
The truth is that the tomb is cold and one of darkness. We do not go to the tomb to look for the living. When we are in the tomb, we are living a life of fear and imprisonment. We dare not go out of our tomb to face the reality of life, and the truth of ourselves. People hide in their tomb because they are afraid of relationships. They lack warmth and love in their life. Such people are cold and unapproachable, angry, resentful and full of hatred. Jesus did not stay in the tomb because He is the Risen One. Indeed, the two men in dazzling clothes said to the women, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” (Lk 24:5) Indeed, nothing can hold back the Risen Lord from coming out of the tomb.
This is what we are called to believe today as we celebrate Easter. In the darkness of our life and living in the tomb of fear and self-protectionism, we are called to find faith and hope in the Risen Lord. Just as He conquered sin, hatred and death, the Lord will help us to overcome all trials, sufferings and failed relationships in life. He will remove the stone that holds us in our tombs. What is necessary is faith in Him as the Risen Lord. St Peter said to Cornelius and his household, “Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand.”
St Peter and the apostles were witnesses to His death and resurrection. “Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.” This is the basis of Christian Faith, relying on the witnesses of the Risen Lord. We can be sure of their testimony because the apostles were cowards before encountering the Risen Lord, but became martyrs for the gospel after the resurrection. From being timid apostles, they now preached with boldness before the Sanhedrin under threat of death, and performed many miracles in His name simply because Jesus the Risen Lord was working in and through them.
However, for the apostles and the women too, it took them time to come to realize that Jesus was the resurrected Lord. It did not dawn on them immediately. In fact, we are told that Peter and John ran towards the tomb. Out of deference to Peter as the head of the apostles, John who arrived there first waited for Peter to enter the tomb. Peter “saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.” Peter could not make sense of what he saw, especially the folded linen cloths. It was John who saw the signs and concluded that the Lord was indeed risen. In a succinct way, the evangelist recorded, “he saw and he believed.” John who was His beloved disciple believed in faith because of his intimacy with the Lord. He could sense His presence even though he could not see Him.
We, too, must therefore consider the signs of the Risen Lord in our lives. How do we know that He is risen? Firstly, when we die to our sins. In the second reading from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he wrote, “You must know how even a small amount of yeast is enough to leaven all the dough, so get rid of all the old yeast, and make yourselves into a completely new batch of bread, unleavened as you are meant to be. Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed; let us celebrate the feast, then, by getting rid of all the old yeast of evil and wickedness, having only the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” When we die to our sins, we experience a foretaste of what a risen life is all about, a life of true freedom and peace. Freed from the slavery of sin we are also liberated from fear as well. To be baptized is to go down to the waters and die with Jesus to our sins and rise with Him to a new life. The moment we die to sin and receive healing and forgiveness for our past mistakes, we are set free. We become a new creation in Christ. We have a foretaste of being freed and being new again.
Secondly, we know what the resurrection is all about when we transcend the passing things and trials of this world. Everything is transient. St Paul says, “Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died.” When we come to understand the passing things of this world, we will not be too attached to them because these are not the things that can make us happy. Anger, hatred, or attachment to the pleasures and glory of this world will not liberate us or make us happy. The things of this world are passing. What makes us happy is love, joy and peace. Such a life, St Paul tells us, is hidden with Christ already. When we put on Christ, we too will have a foretaste of this resurrected life. “When Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.”
Thirdly, the resurrected life is a life lived in such a way that we go about doing good like our Lord. It is in love and service that we find life and true joy. Peter addressed Cornelius and his household. “God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.” When we do good and bring healing and hope to others, we find ourselves living a meaningful and worthwhile life. Indeed, we who have been anointed too by the Holy Spirit by virtue of our baptism have been given the same gifts of our Lord to do good and contribute to the good of everyone. So, a life of charity is a participation in the resurrected life. For what is heaven but to live in communion with the saints and with God.
So, whilst it is true that we have not seen the Risen Lord personally, like the apostles and the women of Jerusalem, we are called to go out of ourselves and recognize the signs of the Risen Lord in our lives. They saw the empty tomb as a sign of something greater. Later they met the Risen Lord through the breaking of bread. On our part, we too can encounter the Risen Lord if we are receptive to His Word spoken to us and the Eucharist which we receive. Encountering the Lord in the Eucharist, we too will be able to die to our sins, walk in the way of truth and love, in a life of charity. Most of all, we no longer fear death or suffering because we live for Christ. It is no longer a choice between death and life, as St Paul wrote to the Romans. Rather, he said, “We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” (Rom 14:7-9) Let us go out and proclaim, “This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.” Alleluia!
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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