Sunday, April 9th
Scripture
Acts 10: 34, 37-43
Ps 118: 1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Col 3: 1-4 or Cor 5: 6-8
Jn 20: 1-9
Reflection
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning…and saw the stone removed…So she ran…to Simon Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved and told them
“They have taken him from the tomb”…So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb…and found the burial cloths there…they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. Jn 20:1-9
So, here we are again, Easter morning, standing outside the empty tomb, perhaps in the company of Mary Magdalene, the faithful women, or John and Peter. Perhaps we are alone there, latecomers to this emptiness behind the unrolled stone, where we know Jesus’ body was placed Friday. What is our response today, in our time? Do we run away? Hide in some “upper” room or inside ourselves? Do we go back to the cross—last place he was seen, trembling and worshiping what was, rather than what is?
Or do we go out from there? Out into the garden, onto the road to Emmaus, to the shores of Galilee, into the broken world to meet and follow the risen Christ? Unlike Mary, John, Peter who “did not yet understand,” we know that Christ is risen, that Christ is right here, surrounding us, within us, alive in all of creation, in every event, encounter, experience we have. All the emptiness—of cross, tomb, even our own hearts—is alive with Christ-present if we are open to believing and seeing Resurrection.
Prayer
Open my mind, heart, spirit to your living, loving presence in all of your sacred creation, that I may reflect the Christ-light in my being and doing today and every day.
Personal Challenge
Look for at least one opportunity today (or tomorrow) to see all of creation infused with Christ-life and light. What will I do differently because of this understanding?
Sister Christine Parks, CSJ
Kalamazoo, MI
