Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Col 3:1-4 OR 1 Cor 5:6b-8
Jn 20:1-9
My good friend recently shared a story about a man he met in a Brazilian prison nearly 30 years ago. Sentenced for a crime he indeed committed, he had little hope of an early release and regaining his freedom. However, something remarkable happened that Easter Sunday; he attended the Mass that my priest friend celebrated in the prison chapel. During the homily, my friend asked the prisoners what resurrection meant to them. There were no responses at first. Finally, the young man, who attended the Mass for the first time, raised his hand. He replied: “I don’t know much about faith and resurrection, but for me, my mother is that sign.”
If you are intrigued by what he meant, that is understandable. I also wondered about the inmate’s words and asked my friend to explain them to me. Fr Michael then told me, “You see, at that time, visiting a sentenced man in jail was not easy at all. In Brazil, the person visiting someone had to go through numerous procedures and checks before seeing their relative. The mother of this young man had to be completely stripped of all her clothes and endure various humiliating procedures just to see her boy.” He continued, “Do you know what she told him after all the check-ups were done? And when they finally could see each other?” “What?” I asked. “She didn’t complain or lash out,” Fr Michael said. “The only thing she asked was whether he was doing well and had put his life back on track, and that she was happy to finally see her son.”
Fr Michael finished telling me his story with this remark: resurrection doesn’t have to be a theoretical theological wonder. Of course, we relate it to Jesus, who came back to life and triumphed over sin and death. However, the same Jesus brings about many resurrections in our lives, even if we don’t always recognise them. This beautiful mother overcame numerous difficulties to restore life to her poor son. She accepted the cross and humiliation to give life to her prodigal son. She offered love to the one who did not merit it. She made a choice of faith: she opted for a life-giving gesture rather than allowing her boy to remain dead.
Peter’s witness
The power with which Apostle Peter speaks in today’s First Reading is undeniable: “I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand” (Acts 10:39-41).
What made Peter proclaim this amazing statement of faith in front of the pagan centurion Cornelius and his entire household? Was it because of a dream in which he heard the voice from above, “What God has made clean you must not call profane?” (Acts 10:15). Certainly, God opened the eyes of Peter to understand that it is of God’s grace from which people receive the graces. Indeed, they receive God’s life. But he also had to remember his many mistakes before truly accepting what the Lord was teaching him. To mention only some of Peter’s mistakes, he oftentimes was full of self-ambition and pride, wanting to decide who could be the closest to Jesus. He repeatedly watered down the message of Jesus by his misbelief and doubts (walking on water, the Transfiguration). Peter was even trying to impose on Jesus his worldly agenda, being rebuked by the Lord! How many promises and oaths he made, proving to be always faithful to the Lord. However, his mistakes were not altogether in vain! These and many other fallouts helped Peter understand and believe he was not the one who saved others. He was the one to be saved!
Paul’s encouragement
In St Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, the Apostle encourages the Christians to have their ultimate hope and faith in the Grace obtained for them by Jesus: “Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in Heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the Earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3).
St Paul truly believes and teaches others that Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection free every human being from the chains of sin’s slavery! In Him, any human fault, fallout, or sin is redeemed! This redemption done for us by the Lord has to be sometimes discovered; at times, taken down by mistakes and failures, people living around us might not be able to see, appreciate, and live again from that Grace. That’s where your and mine’s job is yet to be done!
Mary’s faith
St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) says that surrendering to God and staying in union with Him is indeed the highest level of prayer. Then, she says, “People can do nothing but radiate to other hearts the divine love that fills them and so participate in the perfection of all into unity in God, which was and is Jesus’ great desire” (The Hidden Life, pp.17-18).
The light entres the deep cave in which the empty stone lies. The light comes in, and to those with faith, all is clear”
The Resurrection of the Lord, which we are celebrating this Sunday, is one of the greatest mysteries of our faith. Last night, we were singing in the Church, “Let there be light!” As we approach the church this morning, the stone is indeed rolled away. The light entres the deep cave in which the empty stone lies. The light comes in, and to those with faith, all is clear. The promise from the prophet Ezekiel is clear and sound: “I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, my People” (Ezekiel 37:12). Although Mary was confused, maybe even frightened, the light of hope and faith had to shine through the darkness of fear.
Yet, there are still people who didn’t experience that shine, enlightening the empty tomb of Jesus. Their journey is long, their night is dark, and arriving at that empty cave might take a while. Until that happens, they have you and me. Now, it is for us to make a choice of faith: we ought our Sweet Saviour to opt for a life-giving gesture rather than allowing anyone to remain dead. Happy Easter.
Fr Dominik Domagala serves in Inchicore, Dublin. Studied Theology in Poznan (Poland) and currently is working on a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture. Author of the sermon-video-blog “The Social Oblate.” Send your questions to thesocialoblate@icloud.com
