Homily Easter Sunday Year B He is Risen
Homily Easter Sunday Year B
What did it mean to the first disciples of Jesus that he died on the cross
and was buried? They should have remembered that Jesus had prophesied that he
would be arrested, tortured, crucified but rise again. Because they didn’t want
to hear the first part, they rejected both the dying and rising. So the
prophecy of his death did not prepare them for the reality of the resurrection.
As a result, they fled and abandoned him at his arrest. Judas betrayed him.
Peter denied him under oath. Only John was brave enough to stand with Mary at
the cross. He saw him executed and buried. Their hopes were frustrated. They
were devastated, disenchanted, confused, fearful that they may be arrested as
well. What does his death mean to us now?
What did the resurrection mean to them? First there was disbelief and fear—fear
that he was disappointed with them and would chastise them. But, instead, they
experienced joy. Yes, they had
previously questioned what does it mean to rise from the dead and not to die
again like Lazarus. They had no concept
until Jesus’ resurrection of having a glorified body that is not limited by
space and time.
Though the doors were closed, Jesus appears to them. He is different but
the same. They do not recognize him at first. But they saw the wounds on his
body; they heard his voice; they saw his affection for them. They experienced
the forgiveness of their sins; the peace of God, the real presence of God
interiorly and externally. They are confirmed as his disciples in spite of
their shortcomings.
What impact did his resurrection have in the lives of his contemporaries?
What did Pilate, the High priests, elders and guards think when they heard the same
message. They refused to believe. They chose to remain in their own convictions
and sins. They rejected the truth because they were comfortable in the lies.
They became more determined to destroy the followers of Jesus just as they did
Jesus.
Because of Jesus’ resurrection; because of the fact that others’ lives
were transformed; because of the fact
they told others, you and I have today heard the same good news: He is Risen. What
does his resurrection mean to us now? How do we see and experience Jesus now?
Do we recognize him in the breaking of the bread, in the proclamation of the
scriptures? How real is our faith in the risen Lord?
What did the apostles do as a result of the resurrection? They were no
longer afraid of what people would say. They were obedient to the commission
Jesus gave them: “Go, baptize and teach.” They were confident that his promises
were true: “I will be with you till the end of time.” They were full of joy and
zeal for the Lord. They knew they were not perfect. They still made mistakes,
but Jesus was the Lord of their lives and to him they committed their lives. In
the power of the Holy Spirit the very works that Jesus did and said they would
do, they did.
Why? They were witnesses of the resurrected Jesus who is Lord and Messiah.
Their lives were forever changed.
He is risen and people must make a choice. What choice? To be like Pilate
and the others by rejecting the messenger and the message. Or to receive the
word but only give lip service to it, choosing to remain the same. Or to
embrace it with our lives and to share it with others.
What are we doing as a result of the resurrection? What difference has his
death and rising made in our lives? Can others tell we are a resurrected,
Alleluia people? They were witnesses of the risen Lord. Are we witnesses of the
risen Lord to anyone? When was the last time we witnessed our faith in Jesus to
another person?
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