EASTER VIGIL (B)

 

Easter Vigil [Mk 16:1-7]

30.04.2024

The Resurrection of Jesus

Readings: OT (1) Gen 1:1-2:2  (2) Gen 22:1-18  (3) Ex 14:15-15:1  (4) Is 54:5-14  (5) Is 55:1-11  (6) Bar 3;9-15.32-4:4  (7) Ez 36:16-28; NT  (8) Rom 6:3-11

1.    Theme in brief:

Encountering the Risen Lord in our own Galilee

2.    Focus Statement

We must discover the presence of the Risen Lord with the eyes of faith in the midst of all our life-situations and among the marginalized by showing our preferential love for them.

3.    Explanation of the text

According to Mark’s resurrection narrative prescribed for Eater Vigil Mass, women disciples alone dared to accompany Jesus till his death (15:40,41,47), whereas all the male disciples fled (14:50). When the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome purchased the spices so that they could go to the tomb and anoint Jesus’ body as a sign of love, devotion, and respect (16:1). When he died, they could not pay their tribute to the body of the One whom they loved ardently by performing the last rites as per Jewish custom, because of the Sabbath. They went to the tomb on “the first day of the week” (that is, Sunday as per Jewish calendar) when the sun had just risen (16:2). [Hence Sunday became the Day of the (Risen) Lord for the Christian community.]

This gospel text shows how the fervent and faithful love of the holy women for Jesus even after his death was rewarded. This reward was given in the form of joyful news given by a young man (namely, angel of the Lord) that Jesus was alive (16:6). His white robe probably refers to the glory of resurrection – an obvious reference to the bleached clothes of Jesus at his Transfiguration (Mk 9:3).

As the women discussed on the way to the tomb about the impossibility of rolling away the large stone at the entrance to the tomb, they were taken aback to find it already rolled away (16:3-4). The rolling away of the stone symbolizes the victory of Jesus over the forces of death (16:4). By his resurrection, Jesus had overcome death and had opened up an eternal destiny beyond their physical death for those who believe in him. The angel of the Lord said to the women: “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised (by the Father); he is not here” (16:6). "He" – Jesus who lived in Nazareth, walked in a limited region of Palestine, taught the New Law, suffered under Pontius Pilate, died a shameful death on a cross and buried in this tomb is not "here." Because he has been raised from the dead, now he is no more limited or confined to the place where they laid him (16:6), that is, to the place of his burial or to the space of his earthly life. Now he can break all barriers, walls, limitations and boundaries established by human beings and continue to save whoever believes in his name.

The angel admonished the women to tell his disciples that he was going ahead of them to Galilee where they would see him, just as he had told them (16:7). This refers to Jesus’ prediction to Peter (when he foretold about his denial) that he would go to Galilee before him after his resurrection (Mk 14:28). Galilee was the place where they had made a decisive choice to follow him while catching fish (Mk 1:16-20). It was also called “Galilee of the Gentiles” because of its mixed population of Jews and Gentiles. It was considered to be a land where people sit in darkness and ignorance (Mt 4:15-16) in contrast to Jerusalem of the pundits and higher-ups. The Risen Lord went ahead of his disciples to this Galilee where they would ‘see’ him (of course, with the eyes of faith).

The women leaving the tomb quickly with terror and amazement (16:8) symbolize a reverential fear and wonder commonly found throughout the Bible when humans encounter the Divine. They became the first witnesses of the resurrection. They had gone to the tomb to pay their last respects by anointing the corpse of Jesus, but were told to give up their desire for a dignified burial for the one whom they loved so much. Instead, an angel appeared and commissioned them to share the news of his resurrection with the apostles, especially Peter (16:7). This special mention of Peter shows that, in spite of his denials, Jesus had not deserted him. He was so eager to meet a sinner rather than condemn him – the first encounter with the lost sheep by the Shepherd.

4.    Application to life

The primary proof of resurrection of Christ is not the discovery of empty tomb. At the most it could be a secondary proof. In fact, empty tomb and missing corpse could be explained by several arguments such as stealing it by bribing the guards, etc. The greatest proof is the transformation or change that took place in the apostles and the holy women. The women had actually gone to perform last rites to a dead body. But what a great surprise was in store for them! The women and the apostles were shattered with the thought that everything they had hoped had ended in a tragedy. The very fact that we are here to celebrate Easter now is the proof that Christ has really risen from the dead. What else can explain the transformation of frightful and despairing women and men into courageous witnesses, full of radiant joy! That shows something really supernatural had happened in their life. They were really stirred by a tremendous experience of the One who is no more dead but LIVING.

I love to view again and again a video song titled: “Because he lives, I can face tomorrow.” Yes, because we believe that Jesus lives and can die no more, it does make a difference:

1)    Yes, because Jesus is risen, he is not just a hero or a great historical figure, but a living presence. If we believe that he is alive, his presence cannot be reduced merely to the pages of the Bible or any religious book, or a statue in a church, or to a tabernacle. He is no more in the tomb; he is a living reality. Now we are not following just an idea or ideology, a dream or an imagination, but a Living Person. It is not just enough to study him or know him theoretically, but because he lives, we can meet him in faith in all situations. The gospel text invites us to look for the Risen Lord away from the tomb in all situations of our life – in our joys and sorrows, daily problems and struggles. From the testimony of the resurrection given by the devout women, we come to know that those who ‘seek’ Jesus with love, devotion and faith, encounter him in impossible situations, even in death. Because he lives, we merely do not teach lessons from the life of a Great Hero, or Teacher; we proclaim and testify to the world what we have ‘seen’ or experienced when we are touched by his powerful presence in the midst of our life-situations. As St. John writes in his Letter, “We declare to you what we have seen and heard”  and “testify to it”(cf. 1 Jn 1:1-3). Is our testimony visible to others?

2)    Because Jesus is risen, he is not a memory of the past. Easter is not an annual memorial of a dead person who is kept alive in one’s memory, as people observe for the dead or departed ones in their families. Time alone wipes away memories of the past. By now, his memory would have faded, maybe except for a day – as we annually remember our great (national/ regional/ religious) leaders by commemorating their birth or death anniversaries. Since he is risen, even after two thousand years he is not relegated just to a day’s memorial. Everyday and at every moment, faith makes his presence as fresh as the breaking news which the women received on the first day of the week some 2000 years ago. He is in our Bethlehems; he is in our Gethsemanes; he is in our Golgothas; he is on our Mount Tabors; and he is in our Galilees. Yes, because he lives, we believe that he is with us in all the ups and downs of life and will be with us for ever. Do you believe ths?j

3)    Because Jesus is risen he gives new meaning to our life and motivates us to discover his presence in everything and everywhere. Because he lives, we can see something good in everything, however painful and disgusting an experience may be. Today’s gospel tells us that a “young man dressed in a white robe” (of course, an angel, 16:5) told the women, who had gone to the tomb to anoint his body: “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here” (16:6). The angel told them that the Lord was not in the tomb where they had laid him; no more confined to one place or limited by space and time, or limited by our selfish desires. If he is not here, where is he now? Where can we find him now? As he is risen, now we can encounter and discover him in the midst of our life-situations through the eyes of faith – in all our problems, struggles, crises, challenges, worries, dilemmas, difficulties, calamities, trials, risks, joys and sorrows, disappointments and frustrations. Yes, if we really believe this, we shall feel his presence as he walks with us in the valley of our tears, in our hardships, in our doubts and in all that happens to us. Because he lives, we can experience his peace in the midst of our disturbed and anxious minds, his providence in our deprivation, his support in our weakness and his outstretched arms in our fall and failures.

4)    Because Jesus lives, His power is available to us to bring our morally and spiritually dead selves back to life. Our faith in the Risen Lord has the power to raise us up, renew and re-create us, if only we desire for a change from the depth of our hearts and submit or surrender ourselves fully to his power (1 Cor 15:12-19).

But a large ‘stone’ separates us from the Risen Lord, due to which we do not recognize him. It could be either lack of faith, sin or hardheartedness. Who will roll away these obstructing stones? Of course, God himself through the power of his Risen Son. Do we firmly believe in his power? If yes, should we not plead with God to roll away these obstructing stones?

Yes, the tomb is empty; we will not find him there. We will not find him where forces of death are at work; where a culture of death, violence and ‘might-is-right’ policy rules. We will not find him where greed, corruption and dishonesty rule. Nor will we find him only in ‘Jerusalem’ – the centre of Jewish worship or the churches and places of our present worship. He is not confined to only church, prayer and liturgy. He sends us from this solemn and elaborate liturgy of Easter Vigil to Galilee – a marginalized region in a globalized and pluralistic world. We have to ‘seek’ him there.

We are told that he goes ahead of us to our present-time Galilees – among the poor, the marginalized, those struggling for life. First of all, we need to meet him in our own environment, situation and sphere of activities (our own “Galilee”). Secondly, since Galilee refers to a region looked down with contempt by the pundits of Jerusalem, we are called to encounter the Risen Lord also among the poor and the least ones. He wants that we show a preferential love for the poor ad the marginalized by our service to them. He wants that we should continue his mission to bring life from death. The question is whether we earnestly try to meet him by our faithfulness to this mission. He sends not only men but also women as evangelizers. The role of women as messengers of the Good News (that Christ lives) is as central to the mission of the Church as that of men.

5.    Response to God's Word

Do we seek the Risen Lord in all situations? Do we have faith enough to recognize the presence of the Risen Lord? Do we feel that Jesus is risen in us and in the world we live? What are the effects of Jesus’ living presence on our life and behaviour? By what signs we can know that Jesus is really living and active in our homes, neighbourhood and the Church? Have we locked up Jesus in our narrow and selfish world? Do we ‘see’ Jesus among the poor and the marginalized? Do we allow the Easter Light to dispel the darkness of sin, and baptismal water to cleanse us from evil? What are forces of death that rule our life, over which we need to win a victory with the power of the Risen Lord?

6.    A prayer

Alleluia! We praise and bless you Lord our God for making the tremendous power available to us by raising your Son Jesus from the dead. Lord Jesus, we do believe in your living presence. You are present in the midst of our lives, both when we walk in the valley of our tears and climb the mountain of joy. You are truly alive in our hearts and in the heart of our world. You go ahead of us to our present-time Galilees and invite us to meet you there. Open our eyes of faith that we may recognize you in the ups and downs of our life and among the marginalized. Grant that with your power we may win a victory over the forces of death. Amen.