Easter Sunday
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.
MP3: Why Are You Here?
Why am I here today? This is a good question to ask this Easter morning. So many times we just do things in our life without reflecting. Everyone is always welcome in the Church and nobody is forced to come. It is a free decision. Why did I make it?
There are a variety of different answers that we would get to this question. Some are here because it is Easter and this is what we do on this holiday. “My family has the tradition of going to Mass on Easter Sunday.” Going deeper they may say, “I was raised or baptized Catholic and so I should go to Mass on Easter.” Others would respond differently, they would say, “Well, I guess I believe in Christianity.” “I enjoy listening to Jesus words.” Or, “Going to Church brings me some comfort, but I am not totally sure.” Still others would respond that they are convinced that Jesus is Lord. The Sacraments and their faith are the most important things in their life. They would freely admit that may have struggled at times with various temptations to doubt or trials in their life. But when asked they would confidently state, “I completely identify myself as a Catholic Christian.”
Each one of us has had or will have an Empty Tomb experience. This is what Mary Magdalen, Peter, and John had that first Easter morning. They came to the tomb fully expecting to find the body of a brutally beaten man. But, what they discovered changed their lives forever. The tomb is empty…burial clothes are lying there.
The Empty Tomb
In reality, the Tomb is still empty. No body has ever been found. This is the physical or historical evidence that something very special happened. But some would still say that the body was taken and destroyed.
The real empty tomb experience occurs when we are at the end of our rope. We cry out to Jesus and something changes. A physical miracle…maybe? But more often it is an equally powerful feeling of complete peace, the resolving of a complex problem, or a new door that opens up in our lives. At this moment, without parents, family, or friends, each person alone must dare to walk into the Empty Tomb. When we walk inside we are staring at an experience of the supernatural. Evidence is presented to us that there is something to this Jesus and Church thing.
What happens next? This is an individual free choice that no one can make for us. Is this going to be “My faith” or remain something vaguely connected to me by family, friends, a few good feelings, or memories? It is our choice: Go back to the old life or live for Jesus.
Jesus is Risen
The Tomb is empty. Jesus is either a very manipulative crazy miracle worker who convinced billions of people to follow him for two thousand years, or He is simply the God-Man. If Jesus is both God and Man, then something beyond this world happened during the first Holy Week. God offered up his own Son to be sacrificed to ransom us from our sins. Having conquered Death and Satan, this Jesus rose from the dead. The Resurrection is the biggest event in the history of the world!
If we choose to believe that Jesus is both Lord and Savior it will change everything. Our perspective on each moment of our lives must be ordered to the beautiful Gospel message. Our lives here on earth are meant to prepare us and others for eternity with the Lord. All things are possible for the One who rose from the dead.
But fundamentality this is and must be an individual choice. No one can make it for us. The Tomb is empty. Go in and examine the evidence. Look at the beauty of His teachings. Pay attention to the life and works of His Saints throughout the centuries and make a choice…Easter Faith or back to living as we did. The Tomb is empty and this makes all the difference!