Easter Sunday 2014

My Dear Beloved, 

Wishing you all a Blessed Easter Season, full of hope and joy!  Christ is Risen.  Alleluia, alleluia.  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia, alleluia.  

The Gospel account today from John, directs our attention to the empty tomb.  On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene headed to the tomb early that morning.  She wanted to anoint the body of Jesus.  But she wasn't thinking because a large stone block the entrance of the tomb.  Mary was acting in faith.  

Mary Magdalene discovered the tomb empty and so she naturally thought that someone had taken the body of Jesus.  So she reports it to St Peter.  Peter and the Beloved Disciple quickly ran to the tomb.  

But when the Apostles peered inside the tomb, they had a different perspective.  They saw evidence of the resurrection.  

Because if someone had taken the body of Jesus, the burial clothes that were wrapped around his body would've also disappeared.  But upon seeing the burial cloths, they saw and they immediately believe.  They have not yet seen the risen Christ.  But they saw evidence of the resurrection and they believe.  

The Gospel of John illustrates in the form of hurried movement.  There is a lot of running today.  Mary Magdalene saw the empty tomb, and she immediately ran to tell the disciples.  Upon receiving the news, the two disciples ran to the tomb, but the beloved disciple ran faster and he arrived at the tomb first.

How blessed that the disciples did not delay in the things of the spirit.  Mary Magdalene did not delay in telling the news to the Apostles Peter and John.  Peter and John did not delay in discovering the evidence of the resurrection.  So they both ran to the tomb.  Upon arriving, they saw and they believed.  

There is a driving spirit within them, to run and tell others about what had happened to Jesus.  There is a driving spirit within them to discover for themselves what had happened as they quickly ran to the tomb and saw evidence of the resurrection, and they believe. 

Wouldn't it be great to have the zeal of Mary Magdalene, to be first witnesses to others about Christ.  

Wouldn't it be great to be the first to discover the empty tomb, to see evidence of the resurrection.  

The Gospel today is about not delaying the things of the spirit.  

I want to be first to see Christ and give witness to him.  I want to be the first to serve Christ and his Church.  I don't want to delay and wait for others and see how they serve.  If the Church has a need, I want to be the first to serve The Lord.  

I want to be the first one to lead others to prayer.  I want to be the first one to do the works of mercy.  I want to be the first one to lend a helping hand to those in need.  

May the Gospel account today give us the driving spirit of urgency, to run, to be the first, to give witness to Christ, and the first to serve Christ without delay.  

Wishing you all a Blessed Easter Season.