HOMILY FOR EASTER SUNDAY OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD (2023)

+ Francis Obafemi ADESINA

Christ, our Paschal Lamb has been sacrificed; let us then feast…for the Lord is truly risen. To him be glory and power for all the ages of eternity, alleluia, alleluia. +

It is Easter Sunday! The Lord has truly risen from the dead, Alleluia! My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, the Paschal mystery we celebrate on Easter Sunday and in Easter Season has two aspects. The first aspect is that Jesus Christ died for our sins to liberate us from the power of sin, and so make us holy, once again. The second aspect is that by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus opens for us the way to new life. This new life is far more than a mere ‘self-justification’ or ‘personal declaration of righteousness’ that is somehow common among some religious persons today.

The new life that the resurrection of Jesus Christ brings is a gift of Grace that makes us become participants in the glory of God. In other words, you and I have become brothers and sisters of Jesus, not by nature, but by grace. This is what is referred to as “adoptive filiation”. So by the victory of Jesus Christ over suffering and death, we – God’s children have become New Creation in Christ. The Apostle Paul talks about this “new life”, this “adoptive filiation” in his letter to the Colossians 3,1-4.  

In today’s gospel passage (John 20,1-9), Mary Magdalen plays a slightly different role from what was reported of her in the Gospel of Matthew 28,1-10 that was read at the Vigil Mass. In the gospel of John Chp. 20, Mary Magdalen had gone to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark. There was no earthquake reported, but she noticed that the stone had been removed from the tomb and the tomb was empty. Mary of Magdala ran quickly to report her findings to Peter and John. From here onward, the gospel of John is silent on Mary Magdalen’s journey of faith following her shocking discoveries. Instead, the author of John gospel focused attention on two male disciples of Jesus: Peter and John. Having received the news from Mary Magdalen, Peter and John ran to the place where Jesus was buried. John, who was younger and agile, outran Peter to arrive at the tomb. He bent down and saw the burial cloths rolled apart, but he did not enter into the tomb. Peter who arrived much later was courageous to enter into the tomb of Jesus.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let me draw your attention to the character of the resurrection narrative we find in John’s gospel. In the gospel of John 20:1-9, there is no mention of angel or angels at the tomb of Jesus as recorded in Matthew and Luke Gospels. Also, there is no mention of a young man clothed in white robe as recorded in Mark Gospel. What is mentioned and focused on in the gospel of John, is the empty tomb, and the carefully folded burial cloths. Peter and John, without seeing the risen Jesus, believed that their Master has risen from the dead as he promised. What could have made Peter and John believed that Jesus has risen from the dead, and not taken away from the tomb as Mary of Magdala alleged? The answer to this question is not far fetched.

The folded burial cloths that had been over the head and body of Jesus are the keys to understanding why Peter and John believed that Jesus has truly risen. The carefully folded cloths are signs that something extra-ordinary has occurred. If the cloths that rapped the head and body of Jesus in the tomb were “rolled up” meaning “well-folded”, such a decent, careful action could not suggest the activity of thieves or robbers; not even that of the civilized roman soldiers. Not at all! The folding of the burial cloths of Jesus is a sign that the greatest miracle has just occurred! That Jesus has risen from the dead as he promised in John 2,19: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”. Although, Peter and John have not seen the risen Jesus, but they have seen the sign of what had happened. The Holy Spirit, the spirit of the risen Lord has given them a clue to what has happened. The empty tomb is a sign that something extra-ordinary has taken place. The gospel of John is well known for highlighting signs as means of faith so the empty tomb of Jesus is the last and the greatest sign in the gospel of John. It is only with the eye of faith that Peter and John could come to believe in the teaching of the Master that “Jesus is risen from the dead, Alleluia!”

Dear friends, do you too have faith like that of Peter and John? The resurrection of Jesus simply means that a miracle has occurred not just in the grave, but also in the lives of the disciples. Peter is transformed. On account of the Easter event, Peter becomes the most powerful witness of the resurrection of Jesus. In Acts 10, we see the post-Easter transformed Peter testifying with confidence to the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the house of Cornelius, a Roman Centurion. This is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times before a slave-girl during the trial of Jesus (Luke 22,54-62). He is no longer timid but brave. The resurrection of Jesus Christ has changed Peter’s life forever.  The event of Easter must transform your life and mine too!

My dear Friends, what is the value of your Easter celebrations, if you do not reject sin and the works of Satan? If your “renewal of baptism” during Easter celebration does not bring about a personal conversion and spiritual rebirth in you as it did in Mary Magdalen, Peter and John, then you have not celebrated a true Easter. Jesus Christ is alive! He has risen from the dead! He invites each one of us to become a witness to God’s victory over sin and death: over injustice, hatred, sadness and all forms of abuse. In short, if the risen Christ finds a dwelling place in the hearts of all Nigerians today, we shall all live in peace and unity building up a healthy and safe society for ourselves and for our children because no one expects to find a healthy fish in poisoned water.

• May the grace of Easter celebrations fascinate our hearts as it did in the heart of Mary of Magdala, the first disciple to witness and to announce the resurrection of Jesus to the other disciples.
• May the glory of Easter festivities encourage you and me to run like Peter and John, no longer to the empty tomb, but to the Risen Lord of Easter, who alone can fill our lives with joy, hope and salvation.
• May almighty God bless you through today’s Easter Solemnity and, in his compassion, defend you from every assault of sin. May the blessing of almighty God, the Father +, and the Son +, and the Holy Spirit + come down on you and remain with you forever. Amen

“Happy Easter to you all, Alleluia, Alleluia!”