John 20, 1-9:
Sunday, April 9th, 2023 (Easter Sunday)
Very early on Sunday. Mary Magdalene is on her way to the tomb. Sad, disappointed. Eager to be able to anoint the Master. But when she arrived, she saw the tombstone that closed the tomb had been removed. She ran to tell the apostles: “They have taken the Lord from the tomb and we don’t know where they have put him”. Peter and John run to see what has happened. They arrive at the tomb and see the bandages and the shroud in which the Lord had been wrapped. After their initial surprise, they now begin to understand the scripture: “that he was to rise from the dead”. Mary Magdalene saw, Peter saw, John saw. They saw and they believed. He is risen!
Today the Lord continues to rise within each of us. We need to see. We need to find the Risen One. We are all invited to seek him, to recognise him, to believe in him. We too need to see something to help us. Mary Magdalene, Peter and John will totally change their lives from this experience. But when the Risen One appears to the group he will say to them: “Blessed are those who believe without having seen” Without having seen the Risen One, but with the signs he leaves us. First of all the change in the first witnesses. And now in the many who, also with their lives, become a sign of his presence. He is alive and in the midst of our lives. On this day, many believers follow the Easter celebration from their homes. They have seen. They have believed.
Peter, John, Mary Magdalene and the others were the first. It is up to us to continue to be their presence. St. John tells us that two disciples asked Jesus, “Master, where do you live,” and he answered, “Come and see”. If someone were to come to us, would they see a sign of his presence in the world?
On this day may we feel the joy of knowing that he is alive in our lives. Happy Easter!
Juan Ramón Gómez Pascual, cmf
Do you feel that you have seen and believed in the resurrection of the Lord?
