Easter Sunday (CL)

Luke 24:1-12

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ² And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. ⁵ And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” ⁸ And they remembered his words, ⁹ and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰ Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, ¹¹ but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. ¹² But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

The men in dazzling white apparel remind the women of the Words Jesus told them. Jesus predicted his own death. He also predicted his resurrection on the third day. The men tell the women that He has completed his task. Jesus is risen from the dead.

It is very interesting how we remember things. Sometimes we think about what our parents told us a long time ago. You can find examples of when they were correct. There are also times when they were wrong. But either way when something you thought was impossible happens, you are truly and fully astonished.

The women were astonished to see these two men at the tomb. St Peter was astonished when he saw for himself the linen cloths. You hear something talked about, you know that others have seen it, but it still seems so far beyond belief. That is why it must repeat over and over and over again by different people. Jesus is risen from the dead. He is physically raised with a body. He died for the forgiveness of your sin, and is risen as the first fruits of our resurrection.

GA: Mark 16:1-8