THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD THE MASS OF EASTER DAY-Gospel (Jn 20:1-9) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.” (Jn 20:8)

FIRST READING - Acts 10:34a, 37-43

A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles

Peter proceeded to speak and said:

“You know what has happened all over Judea,

beginning in Galilee after the baptism

that John preached,

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth

with the Holy Spirit and power.

He went about doing good

and healing all those oppressed by the devil,

for God was with him.

We are witnesses of all that he did

both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.

They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.

This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible,

not to all the people, but to us,

the witnesses chosen by God in advance,

who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

He commissioned us to preach to the people

and testify that he is the one appointed by God

as judge of the living and the dead.

To him all the prophets bear witness,

that everyone who believes in him

will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

SECOND READING from the Letter to the Colossians - Col 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters:

If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,

where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ your life appears,

then you too will appear with him in glory.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - 20:1-9

From the Gospel according to John

On the first day of the week,

Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,

while it was still dark,

and saw the stone removed from the tomb.

So she ran and went to Simon Peter

and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,

“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,

and we don’t know where they put him.”

So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.

They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter

and arrived at the tomb first;

he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.

When Simon Peter arrived after him,

he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,

and the cloth that had covered his head,

not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.

Then the other disciple also went in,

the one who had arrived at the tomb first,

and he saw and believed.

For they did not yet understand the Scripture

that he had to rise from the dead.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD THE MASS OF EASTER DAY - Gospel (Jn 20:1-9)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today, we solemnly celebrate the central mystery of Christianity: Jesus Christ, the Second Person of God, came down to earth as a human being, suffered, died a shameful death on the Cross, was buried in the tomb, and on the third day, He rose again to redeem humanity. All of these things God has revealed to humanity on this Easter Day. Although our generations have not seen or witnessed these events, the most important thing is the testimony and the initial preaching of Saint Peter and the Apostles in the message called the "Kerygma."

They were the true witnesses—those who ate, drank, lived, and preached with Jesus Christ; who witnessed His death, burial, and resurrection. His resurrection was not revealed to all people, but to chosen witnesses—those who saw, met, touched, and shared meals with the Risen Christ. Because they believed, they bore witness and lived out the joy of the Resurrection. They joyfully proclaimed the Good News and endured all humiliation, persecution, and hardships for the sake of Jesus Christ, proclaiming this essential and foundational truth of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died and rose again.

So, on this great feast of Easter, what important points do we see? First of all, through the sermon of Saint Peter, this sharing of faith serves to remind all the Jews of the events related to Jesus Christ—from His baptism to His death and resurrection. This is the central content of our faith, because only Jesus, who is God, has the power to rise from the dead, as He said: "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again."

Therefore, this is authentic evidence that is both historical—rooted in a particular time and human experience—and, at the same time, eternal in the divine nature of God and His plan of salvation. From the very beginning, when the first human beings sinned, God promised to send a Savior. The work of that Savior is precisely what Saint Peter solemnly preached in the Acts of the Apostles today.

Through this, God wants all of us—the Church today—to understand that we must fully believe in the Mystery of the Lord's Death and Resurrection, as Saint Paul’s letter to the Colossians, and indeed to all of us, declares: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.”

At this moment, we are human beings—creatures living on earth, in this earthly universe—but we are invited to turn our hearts and minds toward Heaven. This place represents a future life, yet it is also realized in the present. Therefore, all our words, actions, thoughts, and intentions must be directed toward Heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. This is the true home for Christians, made possible through the merit of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who brings us from being mere creatures of God to becoming children of God, returning to our Father’s house. This is what Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection offer to all of humanity.

Saint Peter also emphasizes that we must "believe"—and truly believe. This is not an easy matter. Even Saint Peter, who was appointed as the head of the Church, witnessed the empty tomb, yet we hear nothing at that moment about whether he believed. During the 40 days following the Resurrection, during the Lord’s appearances, Peter saw Him, but often needed to be reminded by John, who would say, “It is the Lord!”—such as when Jesus appeared on the shore of Tiberias. It was John who recognized Him and reminded Peter, so that Peter could recognize Him as well.

To “believe” and live this faith, one must have a soul like the Apostle John: a soul that loves God. Only love for God allows a person to perceive and encounter faith deeply. Therefore, John is often considered the first to grasp the reality of the Resurrection, even before seeing the risen Christ. Because John's faith was based on the reminders and predictions of the Bible, John believed, and John also saw the empty tomb like Peter, but John was different from Peter; he saw and believed that Jesus had risen.

Today’s Word of God shows us that we are living a pilgrimage on this earth. What we are called to do is to “believe” and “live” in the faith that Jesus Christ died and rose again. As we believe, walk, and live this journey of faith, it will lead us to our final destination: meeting the Risen Jesus Christ Himself, that is the Kingdom of Heaven, that is Heaven, the place where we gather to be with God, our Father. Let us thank God, knowing that Jesus Christ has brought about a transformation in us—from our human nature to the true image of Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord.

Thanks be to God. Amen