SUNDAY REFLECTIONS | Easter Sunday
By Social Communications
Published on April 20, 2025
On Easter Sunday, the Church rejoices in the central mystery of our faith: Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. The stone has been rolled away, the tomb is empty, and death has been defeated. This is not only the greatest event in human history—it is the foundation of our Christian life. Everything we believe, everything we hope for, flows from the Resurrection.
The Gospel today begins in the early morning, “while it was still dark.” Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb, carrying the weight of sorrow and confusion. She had loved Jesus deeply and had witnessed His suffering and death. Like many of us in moments of grief, she comes looking for closure, perhaps even just to mourn quietly. But she finds something unexpected: the stone has been rolled away, and the tomb is empty.
Her first reaction is fear and distress. She runs to Simon Peter and the other disciple, traditionally understood to be John, and tells them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” Notice that even though Jesus had told them many times He would rise again, the idea still seems impossible. Grief has clouded their memory, as it often does in our own lives.
Peter and John run to the tomb. John arrives first but waits for Peter to enter. When they go in, they see the burial cloths neatly folded. This detail may seem small, but it is important. Jesus did not leave in a hurry or have His body stolen—there is order, intention, and peace in what they see. And then the Gospel tells us something profound: “He saw and believed.”
John’s faith begins in that moment—not because he saw Jesus face to face, but because he saw the signs and remembered the words of the Lord. This is a lesson for us. Most of us will not see Jesus with our physical eyes in this life. But we are invited to believe because of what has been handed down to us—the testimony of the apostles, the Scriptures, the life of the Church, and the sacraments.
The Resurrection is not just a historical event to remember once a year. It is a living reality that changes everything. In rising from the dead, Jesus proves that sin and death do not have the final word. He brings hope to every situation, even the darkest. His resurrection is the promise that our suffering is not meaningless, that evil will not triumph, and that life is stronger than death.
This is why Easter is the heart of the Christian year. It is the victory of divine love. On the cross, Jesus gave everything for us. In the Resurrection, the Father lifts Him up, showing that His love has conquered all. And now, through baptism, we are invited to share in that same victory. We die to sin and rise to new life. Easter is not just about Jesus rising—it is about us rising with Him.
This Gospel also shows us how God meets us in our confusion and doubt. Mary Magdalene did not yet understand. Peter was still struggling with his failures. But Jesus comes to each of them with patience and love. He does not wait for us to have perfect faith. He meets us where we are and leads us forward. Easter is the celebration of God’s mercy and His ability to make all things new.
As Catholics, we live the Resurrection through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Every Mass is an Easter moment—a real encounter with the Risen Christ, who gives Himself to us as the Bread of Life. Every time we go to Confession, we experience the power of the Resurrection to forgive sin and restore life to the soul. Every act of love, every step of faith, every moment of forgiveness is a participation in the victory of Easter.
This Sunday invites us to ask ourselves: Do I live as someone who believes Jesus is truly risen? Does the joy of Easter touch my daily life—my relationships, my choices, my way of seeing the world? Do I carry the hope of the Resurrection even when life is difficult?
The early Church greeted one another with the words: “Christ is risen!” and the response was, “He is truly risen!” Let this not be just a phrase we say today—but the truth we live every day.
Christ is risen! He is truly risen. Alleluia!
