April 5, 2026 - Easter Sunday
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
On Easter Sunday, the Church proclaims with joy what stands at the very heart of Christian faith: Christ is risen. The empty tomb is not simply an event of the past, but a living reality that transforms everything. The Gospel invites us to stand with Mary Magdalene at the tomb, to run with Peter and the beloved disciple, and to encounter the mystery that death has been defeated. The Gospel from John (20:1–9) begins in darkness. Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb “while it was still dark,” a powerful symbol of the confusion and grief that often cloud our lives. She is searching for the body of Jesus Christ, but instead finds the stone rolled away. Her first reaction is not faith, but fear: “They have taken the Lord from the tomb.” This honest human response reminds us that resurrection is not immediately obvious—it must be discovered, often through uncertainty.
Peter and the beloved disciple run to the tomb. Their race reflects the urgency of the moment: something extraordinary has happened. The beloved disciple arrives first but waits; Peter enters and sees the burial cloths. Then the other disciple enters, “and he saw and believed.” This quiet moment is profound. There is no angelic proclamation here, no dramatic appearance—only the subtle signs of absence. The tomb is empty, but it is precisely this emptiness that becomes the first sign of hope. Easter faith often begins in this same way. It is not always born out of dramatic experiences, but through reflection on signs: moments of grace, unexpected peace, the quiet persistence of hope when everything seems lost. Like the disciples, we are invited to “see and believe,” even when we do not yet fully understand.
The second reading from Colossians urges us to “seek what is above, where Christ is.” Easter is not just about what happened to Jesus—it is about what happens to us. Through His resurrection, we are given a new identity. We are no longer defined by sin, fear, or death, but by life in Christ. This calls for a reorientation of our priorities: to set our hearts not on what is passing, but on what is eternal. The first reading from Acts presents Peter boldly proclaiming the resurrection. The same man who once denied Jesus now stands as a witness. This transformation is itself evidence of the resurrection’s power. Easter does not just change circumstances—it changes people. Fearful disciples become courageous apostles; despair gives way to mission.
Easter Sunday, then, is not merely a celebration—it is a commissioning. We are sent forth as witnesses to the resurrection in our own lives. In a world often marked by darkness—violence, division, and uncertainty—the Christian is called to be a sign of hope. Every act of forgiveness, every gesture of love, every stand for truth becomes a proclamation: Christ is alive. The empty tomb is not the end of the story; it is the beginning. It tells us that no stone is too heavy to be rolled away, no night too dark to be overcome by dawn. The resurrection assures us that God’s love is stronger than death, and that life—true, eternal life—has the final word. As we celebrate this Easter, we are invited to move from darkness into light, from doubt into faith, from fear into mission. Like Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the beloved disciple, we approach the mystery in our own way. But all are called to the same realization: the Lord has risen, and nothing will ever be the same.
God bless everyone always!!!
Fr. Stan
