Once again, Happy Easter! How different today is from Easter last year! It is so good to see so many of you here in person! And, I greet, as well, those of you who, for a variety of reasons, are still joining us virtually. As we come out of the 40-day liturgical Lenten Season, I think we can all agree that it has felt like a yearlong Lent, ever since everything shut down in the face of the coronavirus last March. We have all had our crosses to bear, struggling with the fear of COVID-19, perhaps even getting sick from it. And all of us have known at least a few people who have died from it. I’ve lost a few classmates as well as a long-time friend – and we’ve lost several parishioners due to this dread disease. Death – a topic many of us would rather not have to face or even talk about – has stared each of us in the face this year.
Those of us gathered here, however, have no need to fear death; we see past the pain and agony of the cross to the glory of the Resurrection. For like Mary of Magdala, Peter and the Beloved Disciple, we have come to the empty tomb, we have peered deep inside and we believe.
Like Mary, Peter and the John, we arrive at our understanding of the resurrection of Jesus at different times, each at our own pace. In Saint John’s account of the resurrection that we have just heard, we learn that Mary of Magdala first thought someone had stolen Jesus’ body, and Peter was perplexed at what he saw. John, the beloved disciple, is the first to grasp what had taken place and believe.
If the story of Jesus of Nazareth had ended on the cross, you and I would not be here today. The stories about all of his good works, all of the miracles, all of his teachings would probably not have been written down. Oh, some might have been remembered him as a wonderful and compassionate man and perhaps even as a prophet, but he would not be seen as he truly is, as the glorified and risen Son of the living God.
In this morning’s second reading, we hear St. Paul encourage the early Christians in Colossae – and us – that when Christ, our life, appears again, we – we who believe – will appear with him in glory. In the meantime, as we hear in today’s first reading, we have been commissioned, by our baptism and confirmation, to testify that Jesus was raised on the third day – that’s what we celebrate with such great joy today because that assures us of our eternal glory!
Last night, both here and all around the world, the universal Church grew by leaps and bounds as thousands of new Catholics were welcomed among us as they celebrated the Easter sacraments. Despite the pandemic, we were privileged to welcome two new members in our church. Now, on this most sacred of days, each of us will renew our baptismal promises. Once again, we will affirm our belief in the living God, in his Son who rose from the dead, and in life everlasting. Let us not doubt, let us not be perplexed. Let us instead come, peer deep inside the empty tomb, and believe. Alleluia!