Acts 10:34.37-43
1 Corinthians 5:6-8
John 20:1-9
We celebrate Easter in many different ways – Easter egg-hunting, sending Easter greetings cards, or spending quality time with our families. During the Easter vigil Mass, the entire church is enveloped with darkness. At the church grounds, the priest lights a bonfire and does the blessing of the huge Easter candle with the corresponding inscriptions to emphasize that Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. The Mass proceeds with lights off up the five Readings. Then the faithful sing the “Gloria” to give praise, honor, and glory to the Risen Lord. After moments of darkness, lights are switched on to symbolize that the light has conquered darkness. At dawn, we have the famous “salubong” which dramatizes the meeting of the Resurrected Christ and His beloved Mother Mary. One from among the choirs of angels removes the black veil of Mother Mary and the white veil remains to signify that joy prevails over mourning. The resurrection of Jesus Christ, Our Savior, is more than all these outward manifestations.
Pondering on the glorious event of the resurrection, perhaps, can inspire us to write a book because of the richness of its message. As of the moment, let us limit our reflection on two points: First, the resurrection promises a new life and conveys a message of hope. Second, the resurrection invites us to reflect more on the ordinary events in our lives and encourages us to see beyond. As we reflect on our own lives, we sometimes fail to realize that after the trials and tribulations we go through, a ray of light and hope beacons yonder. In today’s Gospel, we take a glimpse on the lives of the prominent characters, Mary of Magdala and Simon Peter.
Mary of Magdala. Mary of Magdala, also known as Mary Magdalene, from whom seven demons were cast out, was among the women who provided the resources of Jesus and his apostles in their Galilean ministry (Luke 8:2-3). She was one of the women who stood at the foot of the cross during the crucifixion of Jesus. Mary Magdalene took care of Jesus’ body during His burial (Mark 15:42). A very interesting episode in Mary Magdalene’s life was that she was the first person who saw Jesus on the day of His resurrection. Thereafter, she joyfully announced to the disciples what she had seen and heard from Jesus.
After the great encounter with the Risen Lord, a significant change in the role of Mary Magdalene took place. Mary Magdalene, a mere “provider of material needs,” became a “proclaimer of the spiritual needs” — the good news that the Lord Jesus Christ is indeed alive.
Simon Peter. We have read so many accounts about Simon Peter in the New Testament, particularly in the gospels. To mention a few, we know that Simon Peter was a fisherman from Galilee. He was the aggressive type of person who walked on the water, was almost drown, and was later reprimanded by Jesus Christ because of his little faith (Matthew 14: 28-30). He was the impulsive man who struck and cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave when Jesus was arrested at the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:10). He was the curious guy who frequently asked questions (Luke 12:41; Mt 19:27). One thing that we could not forget about Peter was his denial of Jesus thrice (Matthew 26:69-76; Mark 14: 66-71; Luke 22:54-61). After having denied Jesus three times, what transpired was that Peter broke down (Mark 15:72) and bitterly wept (Matthew 26:75). Peter sincerely repented for what he had done. The highlight in Peter’s encounter with the Risen Lord was his pronouncement of his threefold confession of love to Jesus (John 21:15-19). This declaration counteracted his denial. From this confession, Simon Peter was given the task to shepherd and rule over the flock of Jesus. Peter, the “fisherman,” became a “true fisher of man.” Peter’s irresolute character had turned into one with firmness of faith, great fidelity, and profound love to the Lord.
Who were Simon Peter and Mary Magdalene? They were just ordinary persons in the olden times. They were just like you and me who have our own difficulties, struggles, and weaknesses in life. But the Lord had given them the grace to be transformed so as to live a new life — a life anchored in the Risen Christ. Mary Magdalene and Simon Peter attained a conversion of life because they opened themselves to the power of the resurrection.
To reflect on the second point, let us take a look on the very brief account on the life of The Beloved Disciple. The beloved disciple was the one who reclined at the chest of Jesus during the Last Supper (John 21:20). He, together with the other women, stayed at the foot of the cross during the crucifixion and he was the one who took Mary home (John 19:26-27). In today’s gospel, the evangelist John, highlighted the act of the beloved disciple who, upon arriving at the tomb, saw the burial cloth and cover for the face of Jesus already separated and began to believe (John 20:8). He saw and he believed! He believed not because he saw the scattered clothes, but he believed because, through the eyes of faith, he recognized and understood the deeper meaning of what he saw. This act of the beloved disciple encourages us to reflect on the implications of the ordinary things we encounter in our lives.
Easter is more than the spectacular “salubong.” It is far beyond the Easter eggs, the Easter greeting cards, and the picnics. It is the message that Jesus is alive and very much present in our lives. It shows us that behind the torment of the cross is the crown of victory; behind every tear of pain and grief is the radiant beam of love and hope; and behind the tortured body with wounds and bruises is a person with renewed flesh. The resurrection shows us a promise of new life, new beginning, new role, new path, and new endeavor.
As we celebrate Easter, we are invited to further strengthen our bond with the Risen Lord as we are called to renew our commitment to the Christian faith. If we have a litany of New Year’s resolutions, I think we can make a difference by trying an “Easter resolution” this time. As we proudly profess our deep faith, we look forward, with much hope and optimism, that the Risen Lord will touch our lives and make us worthy bearers of His Good News. Like Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, and the Beloved Disciple, we “clear out the old yeast in us so that we become a fresh batch of dough (1 Corinthians 5:7)” as we totally surrender and open ourselves to the power of the Risen Lord.
