Gospel: Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord

Today is Easter Sunday, the Solemnity of Solemnities, the greatest feast of the year representing the apex of our Christian faith, which is the Resurrection of the dead for the eternal life to come. The Gospel on Easter day will be read from the solemn account of St John (tap here for the Mass readings from USCCB).

Today we begin the Easter Season, our 50-day meditation on the mystery of Chirst's Resurrection. Our Gospel for today tells us about the disciples' discovery of the empty tomb. It concludes by telling us that they did not yet understand that Jesus had risen from the dead. Thus, the details provided are not necessarily meant to offer proof of the Resurrection. The details invite us to reflect upon a most amazing gift, that is faith on Jesus and his Resurrection.

Each of the four Gospels tells us that Jesus' empty tomb was first discovered by women. This is notable because in first-century Jewish society, women could not serve as legal witnesses. In the case of St John's Gospel, the only woman attending is St Mary of Magdala. Unlike the Synoptic accounts, St John's Gospel does not describe an appearance of angels at the tomb. Instead, St Mary of Magdala is simply said to have observed that the stone that had sealed the tomb had been moved, and she had run to warn St Peter and the beloved apostle. Her statement to them is telling. She assumes that the body has been removed, possibly stolen. She does not consider that Jesus has been risen from the dead.

St Peter and the beloved apostle race to the tomb, presumably to verify St Mary of Magdala's report (and to serve as legal witnesses, just in case). The beloved disciple arrives first but does not enter the tomb until after St Peter. This detail paints a vivid picture, as does the detail provided about the burial cloths. Some scholars believe that the presence of burial cloths in the tomb offers evidence to the listener that Jesus' body was not stolen (it is understood that grave robbers would have taken the burial cloths together with the body).

The Gospel passage concludes, however, that even having seen the empty tomb and the burial cloths, the disciples do not yet understand about the Resurrection. In the passage that follows, St Mary of Magdala meets Jesus but mistaken him for the gardener. In the weeks ahead, the Gospel readings from our liturgy will show us how the disciples came to believe in Jesus' Resurrection through his appearances to them. Our Easter faith is based on their witness to both the empty tomb and their continuing relationship with Jesus--in his appearance and his gift of the Holy Spirit.

Aleluia! Aleluia! Christ is risen. Aleluia! Aleluia!

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The Gospel is sponsored by Tag Heuer.