Homily For Easter Sunday, Year B, March 31, 2024.
Faith in the Resurrection of Jesus says that there is a future for every human being. The cry for unending life which is a part of the person is indeed answered. God exists! That is the real message of Easter. Anyone who even begins to grasp what this means also knows what it means to be redeemed.–Pope Benedict XVI
Sunday Readings
My Dearest Friends In Christ,
With the Joy of the Resurrected Lord, I welcome you to this Easter Sunday Celebration. Shout Alleluia! Alleluia!! For He has risen indeed. The power of death could not hold Him bound.
In Reminiscence of The Mysteries That Led To Today’s Glorious Celebration
Throughout the Sundays of Lent, the Church invited us to fast, to pray, to give alms, to renew our covenant with God, and to prepare ourselves to face the temptations of the world, the self, and the devil. We followed our Lord closely on the path of suffering and pain. We denied and deprived ourselves of many pleasures to strengthen the Grace of God within us. We followed Jesus on that path of suffering and shame. On Palm Sunday He was welcomed triumphantly into Jerusalem and was later condemned to die. On Holy Thursday, he gave us the greatest gift of His Abiding Presence with us in the Eucharist and taught us how to serve. On Good Friday He finally paid the price of our sin with His Body on the Cross and declared that the work of redemption of man is finished. On Holy Saturday He laid in the grave and descended into hell, but on the third day, He rose again.
Their Anxiety Gave Way To A Mysterious Discovery, The Stone Has Been Rolled Away
Who could have believed that the stone that covered the grave could be rolled away? This was perhaps the anxiety of that devout woman Magdalene who went to anoint His Body in the early morning hours of that Glorious Day. Who could have believed that He Who was crucified and died could ever rise again? Jesus demonstrated His omnipotent power by overcoming the power of death, the last enemy of man. He broke the chains of enslavement that held Him captive in the grave and rose gloriously into the newness of life, to reign forever as the King of Heaven and Earth. The Resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian Faith. It is the greatest of all miracles. It proves that Jesus is God. That is why St. Paul writes: If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your faith is in vain. (cf 1 Cor 14:15)
My dearest, our earthly experience often swings between suffering and joy. It was His suffering that brought us new life and the joy we celebrate today. God could have saved the world through any other means but He chose to take the way of the Cross, the way of suffering and death to redeem us. He did not avoid the pains of Good Friday to win the Crown of Easter Sunday. He embraced the Cross to win the Crown of Glory. This is a great lesson to us all. In this world of pain, sorrows, and tears, Easter reminds us that life is worth living. It is our belief in the Real Presence of the Risen Jesus in our souls, in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, in His Church, and in Heaven that gives meaning to our personal, as well as to our common prayers. Our trust in the all-pervading Presence of the Risen Lord gives us freedom from unnecessary worries and fears and strength to fight against temptations.
My dearest, you may still be in great anxiety, like Mary Magdalene or those devout women in the gospels. Who will roll away the stone of your suffering, pains, enslavement, sickness, barrenness, poverty, unsuccessfulness, challenges, and difficulties? The Resurrected Lord is the Answer. We are no longer afraid because we are convinced that He who raised Jesus from the dead will also raise us on the last day. That is why the Resurrection of Christ is a pledge of our resurrection. (cf. Jn 11:25-26) We are convinced that the power that breaks the shackles of death will liberate us from the captivities of earthly bondage. So Child of God, have faith in the Resurrected Lord. His power is manifested in the lives of those who have faith and trust in Him. Your story will not end on Good Friday. Your Easter, your victory must surely come. In short, the message of Easter is that nothing can destroy us; not pain, sin, rejection, or death because Christ has conquered all these, and we too can conquer them if we put our faith in Him.
Hold on to Your Lenten Resolutions The Battle is not Yet Over
As we celebrate during this glorious Easter Season remain firm to your Lenten resolutions. We are not supposed to lie buried in the tomb of our sins, evil habits, and sinful addictions. Easter gives us the Good News that no tomb can hold us down anymore; not the tomb of despair, discouragement, doubt, nor that of death. Instead, we are expected to live a joyful and peaceful life, constantly experiencing the real Presence of the Risen Lord in all the events of our lives. Remember that the struggle to overcome sin continues. The devil is not asleep, so we must not go on holiday from fasting, praying, and almsgiving.
Don’t Be Afraid Anymore Your Victory Has Been Assured
May the power of the Resurrection make you victorious in all your difficulties and liberate you from any force that holds you bound from rising again, or any power that holds you in captivity. I declare your freedom, Child of God! May you continue to enjoy the liberty of the Children of God. We are Easter people and Alleluia is our song! Let us go, therefore, and spread this Good News, spreading peace, love, and joy among all men. Let this Easter joy bring to an end all conflicts, revenge, misunderstandings, and unforgiveness, Let the light of Christ shine in our hearts again.
Dear friends, may no adversity paralyze you. Be afraid neither of the world, nor the future, nor of your weakness. The Lord has allowed you to live in this moment of history so that, by your faith, his name will continue to resound throughout the world.–Pope Benedict XVI
I keep you and your family always in my prayers. ©Clem C. Aladi (2024)
