Jesus promised that He would rise from the dead,

and on the first Easter Sunday,

Jesus proved once and for all that death could not hold Him down.

It was a sacrificial death to atone for humanity’s sins

which is available to all who believe and follow Jesus.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Acts 2:36-41

Let Israel,

Tthen, know for sure, that God has made Lord and Christ this Jesus, whom you crucified."

When they heard this, they were deeply troubled. And they asked Peter and the other apostles,

"What shall we do, brothers?" Peter answered: "Each of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ,

so that your sins may be forgiven. Then, you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

For the promise of God was made to you and your children, and to all those from afar, whom our God may call."

With many other words Peter gave the message; and appealed to them, saying,

"Save yourselves from this crooked generation." So, those who accepted his word were baptized;

some three thousand persons were added to their number that day.

 

Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 & 22 The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊

John 20:11-18

Mary stood weeping outside the tomb; and as she wept, she bent down to look inside.

She saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head,

and the other at the feet. They said, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She answered,

"Because they have taken my Lord and I don't know where they have put him."

 

As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize him.

Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?"

She thought it was the gardener and answered him, "Sir, if you have taken him away,

tell me where you have put him, and I will go and take him away."

 

Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned, and said to him, "Rabboni!" which means Master.

Jesus said to her, "Do not touch me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father.

But go to my brothers and say to them: I am ascending to my Father, who is your Father, to my God, who is your God."

So Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord, and this is what he said to me."

 

  Gospel Reflection ：

"To move forward in faith"

Mary of Magdala is left dazed and confused. She has found the tomb empty and Jesus' body missing.

She ran to tell the others and now returns to the spot, weeping at the distress of not only the death of her Master,

but now the seeming desecration of his tomb. Yet, in her sorrow, she is not left alone.

The angels comfort her, and Christ stands by, though she does not recognize him or understand what is going on.

 

Then she hears her name and the mist clears. It is Jesus. He's alive! He has risen!

Our instinct would probably be the same as Mary of Magdala, namely, grab hold of the one you lost.

You don't want to lose him again.

But the Risen Christ dissuades Mary from simply holding on to him and trying to freeze-frame the moment or live in the past.

There is more to do. Christ has to ascend, the Spirit has to come, and she and the others have to witness to the truth of the Resurrection.

There is more for us to do, even if sorrow has stopped us in our tracks. Christ calls to us to move forward in faith.