Saturday, April 3rd
Scripture
Gn 1: 1 — 2: 2 or 1: 1. 26-31a/ Ps 104: 1-2. 5-6. 10. 12. 13-14. 24. 35 or Ps 33: 4-5. 6-7. 12-13. 20-22/ Gn 22: 1-18 or 22: 1-2. 9a. 10-13. 15-18/ Ps 16: 5. 8. 9-10. 11/ Ex 14: 15 — 15: 1/ Ex 15: 1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 17-18/ Is 54: 5-14/ Ps 30: 2. 4. 5-6. 11-12. 13/ Is 55: 1-11/ Is 12: 2-3. 4. 5-6/ Bar 3: 9-15. 32 — 4: 4/ Ps 19: 8. 9. 10. 11/ Ez 36: 16-17a. 18-28/ Ps 42: 3. 5; 43: 3. 4 or Is 12: 2-3. 4bcd. 5-6 or Ps 51:12-13. 14-15. 18-19/ Rom 6: 3-11/ Ps 118: 1-2. 16-17. 22-23/ Mk 16: 1-7
Reflection
…Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might…anoint him. Very early…on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb…saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone…from the entrance…?” When they looked, they saw the stone had been rolled back… entering the tomb they saw a young man…and they were amazed. He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here…go and tell his disciples…, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.’” Mk 16: 1-7
As I have prayed and contemplated with this reading over the years, I have come to wonder if we really believe the “young man’s” statement (not to mention those of all the other witnesses, including Mary Magdalene herself) that “He has been raised; he is not here”. Do we really believe it with the eyes and heart of faith, which see beyond the undeniable pain and agony of Jesus unjust torture and execution (one of many across the centuries of human injustice) and into the empty tomb? Of course, we will celebrate the resurrection tomorrow—with or without Easter candy, colored eggs and a festive meal—as many of us are likely to be having an un-normal Easter again this year. However, there is still the question of moving beyond the crucifixion, through the now-empty tomb. Are we willing see beyond the now-and-forever bare cross standing against the horizon at Calvary, and walk with the risen Christ who has gone before us? The risen Christ who now walks within us ready to continue the journey toward the resurrection of all creation.
Prayer
Risen Christ live in, breathe through, work with me as I follow your path today, seeking to be your love and compassion alive in the world.
Personal Challenge
Pause several times today to reflect on how you have experienced Christ as risen.
Sister Christine Parks, CSJ
Kalamazoo, MI
