Easter Sunday

Acts 11:1-18

11:1 Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God.

11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him,

11:3 saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?"

11:4 Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying,

11:5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me.

11:6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air.

11:7 I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.'

11:8 But I replied, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'

11:9 But a second time the voice answered from heaven, 'What God has made clean, you must not call profane.'

11:10 This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven.

11:11 At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were.

11:12 The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.

11:13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter;

11:14 he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.'

11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning.

11:16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

11:17 If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?"

11:18 When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life."

John 20:1-9

1 Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.

2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."

3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb.

4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.

6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrapping lying there,

7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.

8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;

9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

10 Then the disciples returned to their when homes.

The resurrection is Jesus' ultimate glory. It is the sign of the victory over death, the hope for us, the basis for our Christian faith.

Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!

This good news known around the world today is just as joyful as it was spread from disciple to disciple on that first Easter morning. Matthew captures some of the excitement of this day of days:

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: "`He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee..."’'" Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."’" (Matthew 28:1-20)

The women came to the tomb expecting to find a cold corpse. Instead, they were found by the living Jesus. Their hearts were filled with sorrowful memories of him dying in weakness. And Christ delights to surprise them with his resurrection strength and joy. They believed that Jesus had been defeated by Satan and by death. Instead, he showed them that he had conquered both. In the grave, God touched him. He burst through the limitations of his manhood and revealed himself for who he was: the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; the victorious one; the Savior of the world. And so with the confidence, we testify:

I’'ll tell the world that I'’m a Christian. I'’m not ashamed Your name to bear. I’'ll tell the world that I'’m a Christian. I'’ll take You with me anywhere. I’'ll tell the world how You have saved me, and how You gave me a life brand-new, I'’ll tell the world that I'’m a Christian, eternal life I’'ll live with You.

We are Easter people;
and Alleluia is our song!
Saint Augustine

[Peter and John ran to Jesus' tomb.
Peter entered and found it empty.
John also entered,] saw and believed.
John 20:8

Patt Barnes came upon an old lady
selling flowers on a busy city street.
The lady's face was old and wrinkled,
but radiant with an Easter smile.
Taking a flower, Patt paid her and said,
"How happy you look this morning."
The flower lady replied,
"Why not? Everything is beautiful."
Patt was startled by her reply,
because she was dressed so shabbily
and seemed so frail. Patt said:
"You surely wear your troubles well!"
Again, the flower lady's reply
startled Patt:
"When Jesus died on Good Friday,"
she said, "that was the worst of days.
Then, three days later--Easter!
So when troubles come my way,
I simply wait three days.
Then and everything gets all right again."

Copyright (c) 1996 by Mark Link, S.J. All Rights Reserved.

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