THE LORD HAS RISEN. ALLELUIA!

EASTER SUNDAY - John 20:1-9

The whole Church sings Alleluia, rejoicing in the great victory of the Lord, who rose from the dead. It seems like a dream and no more than a dream. The well educated people of Athens laughed, when Paul spoke to them about the resurrection (Act 17:32).  What strange a belief, so much at odds with everything that surrounds us. Sooner or later, everything goes to decay, and nothing comes back. However, through the ages,  human beings have always dreamt of immortality. Some despised the body and considered it to be a prison of the soul. They looked for the immortality of the soul, set free of the chains of the body through death. Others, refusing to divide the human person into body and soul, and considering the whole as one reality, dreamt of the immortality of the whole person, with the body sharing in the glory of the soul.

Jesus’ resurrection is the proof and the guarantee that God’s promise of life and salvation is for the whole person, body and soul.

Looking at Jesus’ death, it seems that there is no hope left for humankind. The power of evil covers the world in darkness. Jesus’ passion was the suffering of the innocent and the oppression of the just. Friday - Good Friday - is a time of suffering and sorrow, when those  full of hatred and jealousy claim victory. It is a day repeated time and again all over the world. These days, we can look at the people of Syria and Iraq, who carry a heavy cross, having fallen victims of senseless religious hatred and blind radicalism. And we remember the university students of Kenya killed by people who seem to have gone mad. Their darkness is very dark indeed, and they want to plunge the whole world into darkness.

This Saturday - the Holy Saturday - is a day of silence, in which we are filled with hopelessness and loss. However, in this silence, deep down in our hearts, there is a small voice telling us that this is not the end.

Indeed, it is not the end. In the middle of darkness, a bright light suddenly shines, overcoming fear and bringing joy. It is the victory of life over death and of light over darkness. The victory of life, which is the victory of faithfulness and love.

Where is the proof? With our scientific minds, we want proof of everything. Yet, there is no proof for a lot of important things in our lives, and even most of what we call scientific theories are theories that cannot be thoroughly proved, even though based on a few facts. 

The Risen Christ, a painting on a tomb
in my home church, in Tarouca

John “saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” (Jn 20:8-9). 

Jesus has risen. He is alive. And he is Lord and Saviour. From the tomb, he came out victorious, preparing the way for our own victory.

With Paul, we can sing:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting” (1 Co 15:54-55)