The First Day of the Week

Why look among the dead for someone who is alive? He is not here; he has risen.” (Luke 14.5)

In this account, read at the Easter Vigil we see Mary of Magdela, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James and other women going to the tomb where Jesus had been laid intending to anoint his body with spices. They are astounded to find an empty tomb! But then two men appear in brilliant clothes. They are angels and they tell the women that Jesus has risen from the dead just as he said. The women immediately rush away to tell the disciples who do not believe them even though there was such a group of witnesses! Peter sets off to see for himself but only finds the cloths Jesus had been wrapped in.

The apostles clearly had not understood what Jesus had said to them before the crucifixion. Even the women had to be reminded by the angels.

St Paul writes: If Christ has not been raised, you are still in your sins.” To accept as fact the Resurrection is fundamental for Christians.

Christians have always kept Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, as a holy day and meet together for worship. For Catholics this means celebrating the Eucharist.

What does the Resurrection mean?

Jesus Christ has opened up eternal life for all – a new life which begins in the here and now.

We try so hard to live a long and healthy life. Our lives are so precious and our strongest instinct is that of self preservation. So why is it that so many who know the account of the Resurrection do not act to find out more?

Frank Morrison set out many years ago to disprove the Resurrection as fact but having looked at all the evidence and circumstances came to the conclusion that it must have happened. He writes about his quest in his book, ‘Who moved the stone’.

So if why if we are looking at historical fact is not everyone a Christian?

St Thomas Aquinas famously said, “To one who has faith no explanation is necessary, to one without faith no explanation is possible.”  

For Catholics Jesus Christ is really present in the Eucharist.

It is wonderful that Pope Francis, such a great and holy man, left this world at Easter for his heavenly home and like all great and holy people his legacy will live on.

Many young people are flocking to the Catholic Church finding a home there. Everyone has a God shaped hole which only God can fill. If there is something missing in your life this Easter, find a church engage with the Rite of Christian Initiation and be received into the Catholic church or perhaps begin by asking life’s big questions through an Alpha course or Life in the Spirit Seminars.

Have a happy and blessed Easter to all those who are seekers.

 Matthew 7; 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”