Easter Sunday – Mass during the day
Colossians 3,1-4
John 20, 1-9
After Jesus’ death on the cross, after all the terrible things that had happened, after betrayal, denial, cowardice and fear, horror and grief, the disciples were not immediately able to believe in the resurrection. Although they could have known better. Jesus himself had spoken to them several times about his resurrection. They could also have known from Scripture. But they didn’t understand.
Then they saw the empty tomb. We do not know what Peter thought at this moment. Perhaps he was confused at first. However, of the disciple whom Jesus loved, the Gospel simply says: “He saw and believed.” At that moment, he did not seem to have any difficulty believing. He simply believed, without long deliberation, without doubt.
The empty tomb stands at the beginning of belief in the resurrection of Jesus. But this belief does not follow simply and directly from the discovery of the empty tomb. Not even from a careful scientific examination of the tomb and the linen cloths. Nor does a theological analysis of the prophetic books of the Old Testament necessarily lead to faith.
It is the Lord himself who, through his grace, opened the eyes of the disciple. As a result, when he saw the empty tomb, he immediately recognised that Jesus had really risen from the dead. It was only later that he realised that all of this was already taught by Scripture, that everything fits together. But his faith began earlier, in that moment of grace in the empty tomb.
Later, Christ appeared directly before the apostles as the Risen One. Whether by grace or by direct appearance – in both cases He himself is the reason why they believed in his resurrection. And it is also He himself who instructed them to bear witness to this faith and pass it on to all people.
Our faith is based on the testimony of the apostles, passed on to us by the Church throughout the centuries. It is supported by the writings of the Old Testament, especially the prophets. But in order to really accept the faith personally, we also need the help of our Lord Jesus Christ himself, who opens our eyes through his grace so that we can recognise that everything is true and fits together perfectly.
When someone is asking for baptism, that person already believes that the resurrection of Christ is true. But baptism is something that goes over and above the mere acceptance of the truth of the teaching of the Church. You, who will be baptised today, will become firmly united with Christ. You will die together with Christ, and you will rise together with him. Your life will then be “hidden with Christ in God”. And “when Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Therefore, we all who are baptised should “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” We should set our minds on heavenly things, not on the things that are on earth, as St. Paul writes.
Seeking heavenly things and not earthly things means looking at the world with the eyes of grace. For those who do this, the world is full of hints of the resurrection. They are full of hope even when they are standing in front of a tomb. For they know: By dying Christ has destroyed our death, and by rising, He has restored our life.
Christ is risen, hallelujah!
He is truly risen, hallelujah!
