SCRIPTURE JOHN 20:1-10
THE EMPTY TOMB.
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. Then the disciples returned home.
PETER AND JOHN RETURN HOME
REFLECTION
The apostles saw and believed. They did not fully understand. Nor would we! Our faith has undergone centuries of development from Jesus’ teaching and fellow Christians, witnessing to the mystery of the Resurrection. As St Paul says in First Corinthians, if Christ had not raised from the dead, our faith is in vain. Life would be totally meaningless. A life without meaning, God save me from such a fate.
SCRIPTURE JOHN: 11-18
THE APPEARANCE TO MARY OF MAGDALA
But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.”
I HAVE SEEN THE LORD
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,”* which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me,* for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what he told her.
REFLECTION
I have seen the Lord! What that must have been like! Do we have special moments where we feel we are closer to Jesus or his Mother Mary? What do we say to them in those moments? Do we ask for these special encounters where we can really relate and open our hearts to Jesus and Mary? Do we share with others like Mary Magdalen did with Jesus’ disciples? Are we witnesses and evangelizers like Mary Magdalen?
SCRIPTURE JOHN 20:19-23
APPEARANCE TO THE DISCIPLES
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
PEACE BE WITH YOU
REFLECTION
“Peace be with you. The Peace Jesus gives us is an inner peace reconciled to the Father. Now Jesus sends his disciples into the world to forgive sins as the Father sent Jesus into the world for forgiveness of sins. Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. For his mercy endures forever!
SCRIPTURE JOHN 20:24-29
THOMAS
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
MY LORD AND MY GOD
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
REFLECTION
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Here is our challenge as Christians who have not seen the Lord in person, much less put our hands in his wounds. But we have Jesus’ promise that if we believe, WE WILL BE BLESSED! Is belief sufficient? I think not. Jesus said to come follow Him which means taking up our daily crosses and imitating Jesus in his love of the Father and our neighbor.
CONCLUSION. JOHN 20:30-31
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of [his] disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may [come to] believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
It is rare for me to feel strongly Jesus’ presence. I do believe in his presence at mass and in the tabernacle.
My faith has grown due to reading Scripture and contemplating what the Church teaches. I also believe He shows Himself to me in the occurrences people would call good luck.