My dear friends, death is a great teacher, yet many of its students are either too afraid or too distracted to pay attention in its classroom.
I once attended a funeral. Almost everyone looked frightened. People were eager for the burial to end; they could not wait for the grave to be covered. But after the burial, at the reception, everything changed people were eating, laughing, and celebrating as though nothing had happened. Then I asked myself: Is this how I will be forgotten when I die?
That day, death taught me a powerful lesson, when we die, life goes on. People mourn, yes but often, they mourn not just the loss, but what they themselves have lost. For example, when parents die, some children cry not only because they loved them, but because they have lost their defenders and supporters.
In today’s Gospel, even Saint Peter, a close companion of Jesus, denied Him three times. Lent is over, no more fasting, no more intense prayers. Many have already moved on. But not Mary Magdalene. She refused to move on like the others. She could not even sleep. Early in the morning, she went to the tomb in furtherance of the love she had for Jesus. What motivated her? What made her love Jesus so deeply? How Do We Love Jesus Like Mary Magdalene?
First, we must truly believe that Jesus has risen from the dead. Anyone who does not believe in the Resurrection is simply wasting time in church. Many of us claim to believe, yet we still act as though everything is impossible. But with Jesus, what seems impossible becomes possible. No matter your situation, there is always a turning point.
If we truly believe in the Resurrection, we should be filled with joy, not fear. Why are we still afraid? We stand before the One who conquered death and there is no need for us to be doubtful about the supremacy of Jesus in handling our situations.
As the Psalmist says: “I shall not die, but live, and recount the goodness of the Lord.” Today is not a day for long speeches, it is a day for joy, dancing, and celebration. What began in sorrow has ended in victory.
But what does it truly mean to rise with Christ? Some people mistakenly think that Jesus died to give us a license to sin. No! He took on our flesh so that we might understand how to live rightly. We must rise from evil and shine as the salt of the earth. Jesus taught that evil comes from within. Therefore, we must lift our thoughts from the grave of sin.
As Scripture says in Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Anyone who refuses to change their thinking has not truly risen with Christ. Living as Witnesses of the Resurrection.
In today’s first reading, Saint Peter reminds us that we are witnesses to the Resurrection. But if we refuse to change our ways, we are no different from Peter who denied Jesus or Judas who betrayed Him.
To make our belief real: Prioritize Jesus Christ over wealth. Do not “sell” Jesus for worldly gain, like the thirty pieces of silver. Avoid dishonesty and manipulation. Do not build your faith only on signs and wonders
Choose righteousness over convenience
May the God who conquered death on this glorious day dwell in us. May we, as witnesses of the Resurrection, find true peace in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Compiled By Elijah Ugani