Homily, Easter Sunday 2022

Easter Sunday 2022 Readings: Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9

Across the globe on Easter morning, homilies are being preached in a multitude of different languages to congregations of various nationalities and backgrounds. Within these congregations are to be found, sitting beside one another, men, women and children in very different personal circumstances. Some will have hearts full of joy; some will have lives neither especially happy nor especially burdensome; some will be struggling with worries and cares: trying to make ends meet, fighting ill health, struggling with relationships, but all feeling the weight of the world upon their shoulders. And, yet, despite the diversity of place, background, and personal circumstances, there is the same humanity, the same human condition, and the same message of Easter: Death and sin have been overcome! The Lord is Risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! This is a message of the most profound blessing.

I welcome all of you and parishioners and visitors to this great celebration. With joyful hearts full of praise, we sing with the Psalmist; “This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 117:24)

The resurrection baffles human understanding. Jesus’ references to his resurrection were consistently misunderstood by both his disciples and his enemies. Many thought he was speaking about a destruction of the Temple which he was claiming he would restore after three days, something that was easily exploited by his accusers to claim that he was an imposter or false prophet. If you believe in the resurrection but don’t fully understand it, you are not alone. It is even interesting to note that at Christmas most stores and restaurants close for the day with only essential services remaining open and Christmas decoration are up as early as October. At Easter, however, it is not true. Perhaps one of the reasons is that it easier to believe in and celebrate the birth of a baby, which is much more within our realm of experience than it is to believe in and celebrate risen Life. Like Mary, Peter, and the Beloved Disciple, we arrive at our understanding of the resurrection of Jesus at different speeds, each at our own pace. 

“If Christ has not been raised, then empty [too] is our preaching; empty, too, your faith,” Saint Paul clearly states (1 Corinthians 15:14). If the Gospel message ended at the cross, you and I would not be here today. The stories about all the good works, all the miracles, all the teachings of Jesus would be collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. Oh, he would have been seen as a wonderful and compassionate prophet, but he would not be seen as he is today, as the glorified and risen Son of the living God. The resurrection is the stamp that validates everything Jesus did and said. 

Last night, all around the world, the universal Church grew by leaps and bounds as thousands of new Catholics were welcomed among us as they celebrated the Easter sacraments. We also had six new members join our family. Now, on this most sacred of days, each of us will renew our baptismal promises. Once again, we will reject evil and embrace the living God. 

In the next 50 days, we will see how the Apostles have their own encounters with the risen Jesus, and how they receive power from the Holy Spirit to be witnesses themselves. As people who have encountered Jesus, now it’s our turn to be witnesses to the Resurrection – witnesses of hope in a world in need of hope. May the Risen Lord inflame our hearts and raise our spirits so that we may journey towards his kingdom with undimmed hope.

Happy Easter to you all