Easter Sunday, Year C – Homily
Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 (24)
Colossians 3:1-4
John 20:1-9
April 20, 2025
Mary of Magdala went to the tomb, “early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed.”
What does this mean? Why is she going to a tomb when it is still dark? There was a day when I won’t have gone near a tomb when it was dark. Why is she going? Whose tomb is it?
When she sees the stone removed, she is troubled by this such that she ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved to them that someone had taken the Lord from the tomb.
Hearing this, Simon Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb. They went in and found it empty. The other disciple “saw and believed” but “they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.”
On its own, this passage would not have much meaning to someone who knew nothing of the context but we “know what has happened all over Judea.”
We have celebrated much in recent days. Leading up to that we know that God first sent his Son Jesus and anointed him “with the Holy Spirit and power.”
We know that “He went about doing good.”
We too are anointed with the Holy Spirit at Baptism. Do we go about doing good? Do we use what God has given us for his glory and the good of his people?
We are called to share all Jesus did. Do we outreach to others in our community with the news of what Jesus did for us?
What did He do?
At the Last Supper, He gave us the Eucharist, his very own Body and Blood to feed our souls.
He is truly present to us in the Eucharist but there is more. He united the Eucharist to his Sacrifice on the Cross when He was hung upon a tree.
He was crucified but He did not remain in the tomb. That’s the good news in this gospel passage. The tomb is empty because God raised Jesus on the third day. He then became visible to his disciples so that they may know, so that we may know, what it means to rise in the Resurrection.
Peter speaks of those who believe in Jesus. The word “believe” is a verb. That means it signifies action. What action does your faith lead you to?
Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we might rise to new life.
It is our individual choice to die to our sins so that we can share in the Resurrection by the Grace of God.
The world is falling apart. There was another shooting on Friday, this time at a college in Florida. We need God!
We need to bring Jesus to the world. Our Lord is needed. We have been silent too long. Fewer and fewer people come to church. Many profess some belief but don’t put their faith into action.
God is ready to change this. Are you ready to be part of the change?
I believe God wants to work through our parishes to change the world. We need your help.
For over a year, we have been working to discern what God’s plan is for our parishes. In today’s bulletin you will find an insert that speaks of what we have been doing. It also speaks of the goals we have developed with the help of the Holy Spirit.
We want to outreach to those not in church to share our faith with them. We want to help those who do come to church to grow in their faith and appreciation of what God offers us.
We need to “seek what is above…not of what is on earth.” We need to die to the things of this world, so that we can rise to new life.
When we believe in the death and Resurrection of Jesus, when we know that He died for us, we must make more room for Jesus in our lives.
God is ready to change the world and He wants to start with us.
Are you ready to let him?
What will it take to get you to make God number one in your life?