Easter Sunday

Acts 10:34,37-43
Colossians 3:1-4
John 20:1-9

HE TOLD US HE MUST RISE FROM THE DEAD

Happy Easter and I wish you a new life of joy, courage, grace, hope and victory. Easter is new life of heaven for with the resurrection of Christ, death now is gain and we now share in the life of God in heaven. Man has reconciled back to God and Heaven is wedded to earth. St. Paul tells us in 1Cor15: 17, that has Christ has not been raised from the dead then our faith is futile. If you look at what happened after Christ rose from the dead that Easter morning. Mary of Magdala encountered Jesus, the women encountered the angel. This has happened before his disciples started hearing that He is truly risen.
One thing remarkable was that It was so difficult for them to understand and of course stories and news from the a woman seems to be not evident enough .

Mary and the women tell us of an experience that we cannot have. They went to anoint the body of Jesus whom they saw die. They had no hope nor expectation to find Jesus alive. Their experience we can only claim in faith.
After Jesus is buried, a large stone was rolled to the entrance of the tomb and left. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remain sitting across from the tomb. So ends the day of Jesus’ death.
The resurrection makes us live by faith until Christ comes. The greater we make our faith the greater it becomes and if you make your faith little it shrinks. We are called to live by faith the more faith we live the more works we do for Christ. With the resurrection, we are full of life.

In John’s gospel Peter and John race to the empty tomb when they hear that Jesus body is not there. They ran as men, competing who would be there first. John, the winner, perhaps respectful of Peter’s status and pain waits. But the women run differently. They are not used to this type of running. We could say they are running for their new lives. What Jesus said about life in Him and with Him started awakening in their thoughts.
We hear though that they are ‘half over-joyed and half afraid’. Roller coasters cause such feelings! I am sure the angel understood. But Jesus does not want these good, loving women, dearest of friends, to be afraid. “Peace!” He says to them. They stop. They look. They embrace His feet and do Him homage. “Do not be Afraid”, He says.

Remember Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. If we are empty and full of sorrow, Our Lord is with us to fill us. The bridegroom is taken away, and the one longed for and searched for has been found. When we are afraid Jesus Himself takes away the half that is afraid, so we will be full of joy. Hear what Mary says once again, and again, and again on your journey “I saw the tomb of one who still lives and the glory of the risen one.”God has dispelled the darkest of our lives.
Jesus has given us the power of Resurrection; the keys over death and sin, over evil and darkness , over Satan , principalities and power. We can make the power of the resurrection alive by making ourselves a authentic witnesses through our prayers and actions.

Let us not limit Easter to picnics and family get-together it is more than that the glory of the resurrection is activated in the Eucharist in the sacraments. We have to be disposed to the power of the resurrection. For Yesterday’s hopes and dreams have been assassinated by hateful words and fresh hope from yesterday’s destroyed dreams have come alive with trust, new love from rejection. New life from an empty tomb for with God all things are possible.

Let us Pray: O Jesus Christ my Risen Saviour, from this moment forward. You are the Lord of my life. We will live according to your dictates written in your word and so shall our lives be restored by the power of your resurrection. Be our light all night long and stretch your hands over me for I am yours. Preserve me from the sins and imperfections I fasted for during the Lenten season.May your powerful hands shattered the enemies armies for you are the fairest of ten thousand. The Light that brought existence from nothingness. Make me your gift to the world and to your people for You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Happy Easter.

Fr Joseph Osho