LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD FOR HE HAS RISEN(Acts 2:14,22-33/Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11/Matthew 28:8-15)

LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD FOR HE HAS RISEN(Acts 2:14,22-33/Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11/Matthew 28:8-15)


LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD FOR HE HAS RISEN

(Monday, April 22, 2019 Easter Monday)

Today is the first day within the Easter Octave, the Easter celebration is just beginning and the liturgy within the moment presents us with different accounts of the Resurrection of Christ. Indeed, Christ has risen let us rejoice and be glad in it. In the first reading, the account Peter presented on the Pentecost day concerning the Resurrection of Christ was told today. Peter in this account indicted his people the Jews on how they killed Christ without any justification that merited His condemnation. Peter said “This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified Him by men outside the Law. You killed Him, but God raised Him to life, freeing Him from the pangs of Hades; for it was impossible for Him to be held in its power”

From this very account, it is obvious that Christ was a sacrificial Lamb who died for our sins and rose again from the dead thereby giving us victory through His death and Resurrection. Here lies the foundation of our Christian faith. Christ, as Peter continued, is the One who was not abandoned to Hades, and whose body did not experience corruption. God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, He has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit.’ The joy of the Resurrection overcomes fear as the gospel of today portrays. On Sunday morning, the first day of the week, two women went to the tomb, Mary of Magdala and Mary of James also called the other Mary. All of a sudden the earth trembled and an angel appeared as lightning.

The guards who were guarding the tomb were so shaken up with fear that they were like dead men. The women were frightened but the angel encouraged them, announcing the victory of Jesus over death and sending them to go join the disciples of Jesus in Galilee. And in Galilee, they would be able to see Him again. Everything began there; they received the great revelation of the Risen Lord. The joy of the Resurrection began to overcome fear. Thus the announcement of life and resurrection begins in this way. Jesus appears to the women on their way to tell the disciples what they saw (Matt 28:9-10). There is a mixture of fear and joy here. These are sentiments typical of those who have a profound experience of the mystery of God. Suddenly, Jesus himself went to meet them and said to them, “Rejoice!” And they fell on their knees and adored Him. It is the attitude of those who believe and accept the presence of God. Jesus Himself mandated them to go to His disciples and give them the great News of the Resurrection. He encouraged them not to be afraid but Go and tell His brothers to go to Galilee and there they will see Him”. We can learn a lot from the significance of the testimony of the women.

The presence of the women at the death, at the burial, and at the resurrection of Jesus is significant. They are witnesses to the death of Jesus (Mt 27:54-56). At the moment of the burial, they remain sitting before the tomb and therefore, they can render witness of the place where Jesus was buried (Mt 27:61). Now, on Sunday morning, they are there once again. They know that the empty tomb is truly the tomb of Jesus! The profound experience of death and resurrection which they had, transformed their lives. They themselves become qualified witnesses of the Resurrection in the Christian communities.

This is why they receive the order to announce, “Jesus is alive! He has risen from the dead!” Yes, Christ has risen and it is now our own turn to carry this Good News to others as the women did. Let us not be like the chief priests and Jewish authorities who decided to suppress the truth about the resurrection. The opposition itself which Jesus faced during His life, springs up again now after His Resurrection. The chief priests met and gave money to the guards. They should spread the news that the disciples have robbed the body of Jesus, and this is in order to avoid everything which is said about the Resurrection. The chief priests do not accept the Good News of the Resurrection. They prefer to believe that it is an invention on the part of the disciples. Thanks to the story the women gave us today concerning the Resurrection of Christ and let the Good News continue through our words and action.

Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus, you are risen, May your glory surround us always and may we be ready to proclaim your name everywhere. Amen.