Sr. Bincy Thumpanathu CMC
READING: On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they could not find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they wondered about this, two men in dazzling clothes suddenly appeared beside them. Frightened the women bowed down keeping their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the one who is alive among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: (Luke 24:1-6).
REFLECTION: Christ is risen! Love has triumphed! The love and mercy of God always triumphs! The Gospel invites us to experience the glory of Christ’s resurrection and to become his faithful witnesses. In the Gospel we hear about the women who go the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. However, on arrival they discover that the stone has already been rolled back and are alarmed to find that the body is missing. Perplexed they ask themselves, “how would this be?” “what is the meaning of all this?” (Lk 24:4). We too can experience a sense of bewilderment when the unexpected happens. At such moments of uncertainty do we become disheartened or feel overburdened, weary, lost, weak or fearful? In such circumstances, it is important to remember the Easter message of hope and one which emboldens us in our efforts to overcome all difficulties. We can rely on the risen Lord to help us through challenging times, knowing that it is through his death and resurrection that we are freed from slavery of sin and brought to a life filled with love and goodness. For the risen Lord everything is possible. There is no sin so great that cannot be forgiven, no problem that cannot be resolved, no situation that cannot change or no sadness that cannot be overcome.
Pope Francis reminds the believers not to bury hope. He says: “Often what blocks hope is the stone of discouragement. Once we start thinking that everything is going badly and that things can’t get worse, we lose heart and come to believe that death is stronger than life. We become cynical, negative and despondent. Stone upon stone, we build within ourselves a monument to our own dissatisfaction: the sepulchre of hope.” But at that moment of experiencing anguish, abandonment, suffering and death, the Lord tells each one of us: “you are not alone; put your trust in me.” Let us not keep our faces bowed to the ground in fear, but raise our eyes to the risen Jesus. His gaze fills us with hope, for it tells us that we are loved unfailingly.
PRAYER: Lord, who rose from the dead, grant us new life. Break open our sealed tombs; remove from us the stones of rancour and the boulder which traps us in our past, those heavy burdens of our weaknesses and failings. Take us by the hand Lord, and preserve us from all harm. Banish from our minds all thoughts that cause us anxiety or distress. Teach us to rely solely on you, Lord, remembering your goodness and your life-giving words especially in times of trial. May the Risen Lord’s blessings accompany us throughout our life.
CONTEMPLATION: Keep in mind always that the Lord, who suffered abandonment by his disciples, the burden of unjust condemnation and the shame of an ignominious death, is risen! Let us meditate a while and examine our lives: Do we realize how vulnerable we can be to evil forces and that we too are in need of anointing? Are we conscious that our fragile faith needs to be constantly renewed? Do we accept that we need to look at our narrow-mindedness and self-centeredness and it is through listening to the Easter message that we come to know what really matters? In stillness, let us allow our souls to experience the presence of the Lord. Hear his gentle voice speak in the silence of our hearts and take comfort from the assurance that he is risen that he is alive and that we can face our present problems in the sure knowledge that we are not alone. “It is good to wait in silence for the Lord to save” (Lamentations 3:26).
ACTION: Keep Christ at the heart of everything you do. Never abandon hope. Open yourself to him and let him intervene when you are troubled and in need of guidance.
