Second Sunday of Easter (NT)

1 Corinthians 15:1-11
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (1 Co 15:1–11). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Jesus Christ appeared to many of his disciples. He even appeared to St Paul as one who is untimely born. Jesus tells St Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Are all of these people in the same way disgraced? Have you seen the Risen Jesus Christ? It would appear that for those of us who have not seen, we are blessed.

St Paul recounts for us many who have been blessed in a different way. They have been blessed to eat with the risen savior, speak with their risen lord, and in some cases touch their risen Christ. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and these are his witnesses.

Thomas did not believe the TEN when they told him, nor apparently the women. But Thomas had to see for himself. I can not speak concerning all these people. But Jesus Christ has chosen them to be his witnesses. Christ appeared to these people so that they can bear witness to others. So St Paul gives us a list of people the Corinthians could contact to confirm what St Paul has said.

St Paul along with these people becomes our witnesses of the Resurrection. Here in 1 Corinthians 15, the Church has a witness to the Resurrection of our Lord. Thus, the Church passes this witness on through the generations and we should pass it on to our Children.