March 27, 2016
Easter Sunday
Acts 10:34.
37-43; Psalm 118: Col 3:1-4; John 20:1-9
I remember this story about the conversation between two friends – one is a Christian and the other is a Muslim. The Muslim wanted to impress his Christian friend about Islam so he said, “When we Muslims go to Mecca, we at least find a coffin of our founder, but when you Christians go to Jerusalem, you find nothing but an empty grave.” The Christian friend replied, “That is precisely the difference. Mohammed is dead and in his coffin. And all other founders of religions are in their coffins. But the Lord whom we believe in, the Lord who established our Church – Jesus the Christ is Risen from the dead and all power in heaven and on earth is given to Him.” My brothers and sisters, what we celebrate today is not the resurrection of a ghost. What we celebrate today is not about a zombie rising from the dead. What we celebrate today is not about a dead man walking. What we celebrate today is the great mystery of our faith – that Christ rose from the dead, entered into a new realm of existence and continues to live up to the present moment. What is the significance of the resurrection of Christ? Why do we celebrate Easter every year? Why do we keep on repeating the story of Jesus?
Let us reflect on this in three points:
THE STORY OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS THE
VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH. If we want to find a proof, an evidence that
will convince us that Jesus is not only human but also God, it is none other
than the resurrection event. During the ministry of Jesus, when he asked his
disciples, Who do you say I am? All of them gave different answers - one
disciple said He is Moses, another said He is Elijah, another said again He is
John the Baptist. In other words, they were not sure if Jesus was God. But when
He finally rose from the dead and showed himself to his disciples, his
resurrection was the greatest proof telling us that Jesus is God. This is how
our Church started to grow. Without the resurrection, our Church would not have
reached this far. Without the resurrection, there would be no St James the
Great Parish, there would be no Diocese of Paranaque. The Roman Catholic Church
continues to exist up to now because the one who built our Church is not just
any other person, it is Jesus risen from the dead.
THE THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS ILLUSTRATES THE
TRIUMPH OF GOOD OVER EVIL. The death of Jesus on the cross is perhaps the greatest
crime man has ever committed. The death of Jesus was not just about the killing
an innocent man. The death of Jesus is about man killing God himself. Isn’t
this what the devil wants for all of us – to kill the presence of God in our
lives? Many thought that was the end of the life of Jesus. But God is so great
that he can make good out of evil. Death is not the end of the story. Injustice
is not the end of the story. Jesus rose from the dead and conquered evil with
goodness and love. This is our story too. The resurrection tells us that as we
struggle in the battle between good and evil here on earth, we should never
give up doing what is right, never give up striving to be better persons,
because in the end, goodness will always triumph over evil.
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS GAVE US ETERNAL
LIFE.
What is eternal life? Eternal life does not mean that we are now immortal. It
does not mean that we will not die. No. Before the resurrection event, the
cycle of life consists only of: Birth – Life – Death – Corruption. But after
the resurrection of Christ, the life cycle has been changed from Birth – Life –
Death and Eternal life for those who believe in Christ. Death is not the end of
our life. The Resurrection of Jesus tells us that after death, there is eternal
life where we will be united with God, with the saints and with our departed
loved ones. Eternal life means belonging in that kingdom where there are no
more tears, no more fears, no more pain, no more problems, no more goodbyes but
only the reign of goodness and love.
