Easter Sunday – C

My dear friends, as you probably well know, there are a set of readings which help our meditations for the Easter Vigil, the Saturday night celebration, and then other readings for Easter day. I will base this reflection with all of them in mind, and I hope that in some ways, these homilies have been helpful to you.

In all of the readings we heard or will hear, we are transported through salvation history, witnessing the unyielding faithfulness of God, who continually seeks to redeem His people. The readings from Genesis illuminate the very beginning of creation, where we see God’s lush landscape filled with richness, where light dispels darkness, and where humanity is made in God's image. This theme of new beginnings resonates throughout the scriptures, leading us to the fulfillment of God's promise and a very powerful theme which emerges from the resurrection of Jesus.

In the glorious morning light of the resurrection, we reflect on the story in Genesis, where God proclaims the goodness of His creation. How marvelous it is to know that we are part of this good creation! As God created the world and all that is within it, He called it good. And now, through Christ’s resurrection, we learn that it is not only creation that is good, but that in Christ, we have been given new life, a transformation infused with the goodness of God.

Then we move forward to the dramatic moment in Exodus, where God parts the Red Sea, delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. This act of liberation foreshadows the freedom that we all experience in the resurrection. Just as the Israelites passed through the waters, we too, through baptism, have died to sin and risen to new life. The waters no longer bind us; instead, they become the means through which we celebrate our new existence in Christ Jesus.

In Isaiah, we hear the voice of the Lord inviting us to come and partake in the feast of His generosity: "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the water." This invitation extends to all of us, reminding us that our deepest thirst can only be quenched by God. In the resurrection of Jesus, we find a fountain of living water, a promise of eternal life that calls us to new hope and new beginnings.

As we listen to the account of the resurrection in the Gospel of Luke and John, we see the perplexity and joy of the women who first arrived at the tomb. We can imagine their hearts racing, filled with sorrow and uncertainty. They come to anoint Jesus, but instead, they discover the empty tomb and the heavenly messengers sent by God. “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” they ask the women. This question pierces through the fabric of our doubts. We, too, must ask ourselves this profound question. Are we, perhaps, seeking fulfillment in places that offer only ashes instead of hope, death instead of life? Easter invites us to turn away from such empty pursuits and seek the living God who desires to be present with us every day.

Peter’s running to the tomb captures the urgency of our faith journey. In his haste to see the signs of the resurrection of Jesus, he embodies our desire to encounter the risen Lord and to confirm all that has been handed down to us in faith. And when he enters the tomb and sees the burial cloths, his amazement reflects the initial attempts to comprehend the miraculous reality that Jesus is alive. We too are called to run toward our faith, to look earnestly into the empty tombs of our hearts, allowing God to restore us with His radiant love. Peter would later declare in the Acts of the Apostles, “Everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” Peter’s doubts are dispelled, but he still had a road to journey and the ultimate sacrifice would also be asked of him, as well.

Dear friends, this Easter, let us remember that our Lord is not only alive, gloriously risen and back home with the Father, but that he is very intimately and consistently with us each day as we strive to culminate our journey by stepping into paradise to be with him forever. It begins here, in this world. It begins now – today. May we embrace the new life offered to us through the resurrection of Christ, believing and proclaiming: He is risen! May this truth echo in our lives and through our actions and today, make a concrete gesture which shows your faith in the risen Christ; a hug to someone that is difficult or a charitable word to someone who is struggle, Etc. Let these heroic, sacrificial works give the kind of honour and glory that our Saviour deserves. Be strong always, and know that with Christ, our Blessed Mother is also Risen and glorified in heaven body and soul. She is with us as we journey through this Easter Season and throughout our entire lives. May your guardian angels also remind you of the risen King they serve daily and the love he has for you, his precious and beloved son or daughter.

Happy Easter, and may the Lord be with you. May he make his face to shine upon you and your loved ones always. May the Blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, descend upon you and remain with you forever. Amen. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, through your faith in his resurrection. Amen.