Easter Sunday The Resurrection of the Lord

Lectionary: 42

The Mass of Easter Day

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.

So she ran and went to Simon Peter….

The resurrection appearances of Jesus happened amid a rush of incidents and observations, confusion and misinformation. The great twentieth-century theologian, Hans Ur Von Balthazar suggested they might be called “disappearances” because they were so brief, unscheduled, and unpredictable. Had they not been accompanied by the Holy Spirit they might have been counted like sightings of Elvis Presley, Jimmy Hoffa, and unidentified flying objects. And then forgotten in due time. Today's news media would call them “unconfirmed sightings.” 

The Lake at Mount Saint Francis

The record of these appearances is also confusing. The gospels describe some, and Saint Paul refers to others in his letters. He mentions an appearance to Saint Peter alone and to five hundred; but we know nothing more about those appearances. In that same passage of First Corinthians, he adds, “as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me,” although the Acts of the Apostles describes only an audition, a voice heard on the road to Damascus.

Amid all this confusion, our Easter assurance comes not by the recorded appearances of Jesus but through the Holy Spirit. Our faith is grounded not in a hodgepodge of historical events which cannot be verified, but in the abiding Spirit that reassures, encourages, instructs, and directs our lives. He is alive! 

Even critics should be persuaded by the Spirit which appears so readily in the deeds of the faithful. When we are sorely distressed by challenges like Covid-19 we find the Spirit moving us to act joyfully, wisely and generously; and with a right combination of courage and prudence. 
The Lord has been raised from the dead! 
And we are rising up with him!