On this most joyful day, we gather as a Church to celebrate the heart of our faith, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Matthew tells us that early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb. What they expected to find was death and silence. Instead, they encountered something completely unexpected: the stone was rolled away, the tomb was empty, and an angel proclaimed the words that continue to echo throughout history:
“He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.”
The Resurrection changes everything.
What God did on Easter morning was not simply bring Jesus back from the dead. God revealed His ultimate victory over sin, suffering, and death itself. The cross was not the end of the story. The grave could not hold Him. Love proved stronger than death.
In raising Jesus from the dead, God also revealed something profound about His love for each one of us. The Resurrection is God’s promise that darkness never has the final word. No matter how heavy the burdens we carry, no matter the struggles or losses we experience, God’s power to bring new life is always greater.
This is why Easter fills the Church with such hope.
Just as the women at the tomb were told, “Do not be afraid,” we too are invited to live without fear. The Risen Christ walks with us in our joys and our sorrows. He meets us in our doubts, strengthens us in our weakness, and reminds us that our lives are part of a story far greater than we can see.
Easter also reminds us that the Resurrection is not only something that happened to Jesus, it is something God desires to do in us. Each time we choose forgiveness over resentment, hope over despair, faith over fear, and love over indifference, the power of the Resurrection is alive in our world.
The women in the Gospel did not remain at the empty tomb. They were sent out with joy to share the good news. In the same way, each of us is called to carry the message of Easter into our families, our parish community, and our daily lives. The world needs witnesses to hope. It needs people who believe that God can still bring life out of what seems lost.
My prayer for you this Easter is that the joy of the Resurrection fills your hearts and your homes. May you know deeply that you are loved by a God who never abandons His people and who always brings new life where it is needed most.
On behalf of our entire parish community, I wish you and your loved ones a blessed and joyful Easter.