When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another: “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples and Peter: ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you. Then they went out and fled from the tomb, seized with trembling and bewilderment. They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. (Mark 16:1-8)
Our Lenten journey was a time for cleansing and purifying ourselves of being mad whole and worthy to celebrate the Easter glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. The forty days of Lent ushered in Holy Week with Passion Sunday, where we experienced the climax of our salvation as Jesus went through his suffering and dying on the Cross. On that somber and mournful Good Friday the Holy Spirit worked in each of us who fully participated in the Lenten penance of prayer, fasting, and charity, by triggering the realization for us to be enveloped and clothed with the virtue of humility.
God loves. To become one like you and me he took our form, our flesh, and entered into the realm of evil, sin, and death. He came to, well, save us from those powers of the devil and rescue us even from ourselves to restore us to the true dignity and sanctity of being made in the image of God. He became man so that we can be reconciled with Him and His divinity, united in His love. A re-birth that begins with our Baptism. The power of Evil has been conquered and eternal salvation has come to mankind.
The women in the Gospel walked with great sorrow and anguish to the tomb of Jesus with all their hope destroyed. The encounter of the empty tomb and the realization of Jesus Christ, true God, has risen from the dead leads them to not walk, but run. Yes, run and tell others the Good News! We cannot leave this celebration to the past or just as a one day festival, but to live the Easter glory every day. With joy and serenity let us never be dismayed or allow disappointment to take hold of us. Re-member, our Lord Jesus is truly with us. Let us continue the journey with Him and make those sacred visits to Sunday Mass and experience His healing and grace in the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, our Passover feast, for Jesus Christ is the sacrifice that has set us free!
St. Jude, pray for us ~
Have a Blessed & Joyful Easter!
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Fr. Ryan