See and Believe

Readings for Easter Sunday April 24th 2011

Summary of the Gospel by YM Central

If you have seen Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ’, you can get a glimpse at the emotions the disciples must have felt after Jesus’ execution. No doubt all of them were stunned by the brutality that was inflicted on their Lord. They would have been depressed that the Lord was dead and in fear for their own lives. Many of the disciples, especially St. Peter, would have been experiencing the shame of abandoning Jesus. One of them, Judas, let that shame go all the way to despair, and so he chose to end his life in suicide. The Blessed Virgin Mary, even though her faith never wavered, was experiencing the anguish of the loss of her child. So the stage is set for the Third Day. In the most important event that ever happened in history, Jesus showed His power over death by conquering it through His resurrection. By this feat, Jesus guaranteed every word He ever said, every claim He every made about Himself, and every promise He ever made to us. What person every said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life’ and backed it up by rising (on his/her own power) from the dead? Only one person ever did – Jesus Christ. When Peter and ‘the other disciple’ (the speedier St. John) arrive at the tomb, they see it empty, with the burial cloths off to the side. This is their first glimpse of evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. We know, through the testimony of the Apostles, the martyrs who died for Jesus, and through the ministry of the Church, that Jesus is alive today. He defeated death and is in full control of everything. This raises an important question for each one of us: Why do we have so little faith in Jesus? If Jesus can conquer death, why do we struggle to trust Him with the smaller issues of our daily lives? Above all else, the celebration of Easter should call us to live lives of deep trust in Jesus. There is not a situation He can’t take care of; there is not a problem in our lives that He can’t overcome. The challenge for us this Easter is to allow the reality of the Resurrection to transform us into people of confidence in God. Why do most Catholics live their lives as if Jesus is still in the tomb, afraid to give Jesus full control of their lives? The Apostles were so transformed by this experience that most of them (except St. John) willingly allowed themselves to be killed for their testimony to the risen Christ. You and I are called to that very same witness. May we have the courage, no matter where we find ourselves, to give testimony to the resurrected Christ, to give up our attractions to this world, and to live lives in full confidence of God’s power.



Reading 1 Acts 10:34a, 37-43

34a Peter proceeded to speak and said: 37 “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. 40 This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, 41 not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophet’s bear witness that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Questions for discussion:

In the first reading from Acts, Peter says that, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil” (Acts 10:38). Do you believe that through faith and Baptism, you also have been anointed with the Holy Spirit and power? Why or why not? If you do believe this, what keeps you from doing the same kinds of works as Jesus did? Also, what keeps you from telling others that “everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).

Reading II Colossians 3:1-4

1 Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

Questions for discussion:

In the second reading from Colossians, we hear this startling proclamation, “you were raised with Christ” (Colossians 3:1). What do you think these words mean? What about the following words, “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory” (3:3-4). How can you allow the truth of these words to impact how you live out your day, especially when faced with temptations or difficult circumstances?


Gospel John 20:1-9

1 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.9 For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Questions for discussion:

1. The Gospel reading says that John the apostle “believed” when he saw the burial clothes, even though he “did not yet understand the Scriptures that he had to rise from the dead” (John 20:9). Why do you think John was able to believe without any real understanding of the resurrection of Christ? How would you describe your own belief in the resurrection of Christ? How does your “belief” make a difference in your every day life? How much should it?

2. List the physical evidence in this passage for the Resurrection. Why do you think St. John included this evidence? What arguments was he trying to defend?

3. Why is the Resurrection so important to Christianity? How does it give Christianity credibility? Why is it important to understand the Resurrection as a physical resuscitation of Jesus' dead body, and not either a hallucination, a hoax or the revival of an almost-dead body?

4. Where do you need the hope, peace, and freedom of the Resurrection in your life right now?

Enjoy the Good News of Jesus Christ, please pass them on….
Happy Easter, tommy

Sources cited: USCCB, www.ymcentral.com , The Word Among Us.