This weekend, the Church solemnly celebrates the Resurrection of Christ, Easter. At the Saturday Vigil, catechumens will be baptized and join the Catholic Church. Unless Jesus truly rose from the dead, the Gospel would have no meaning. This is why the author of the Gospel of Matthew takes pains to show the reader that Jesus truly rose from the dead. The teachings of Jesus derive their meaning from the Resurrection and because of this, Easter is the most important day of the liturgical year. Jesus’s Resurrection is not merely a raising from the dead like that experienced by Lazarus, the son of the widow, and Jairus’ daughter, because they still died after being raised but Jesus’ body was transformed until His glorified body and will never die. This gives us hope that our bodies will one day be glorified like Jesus’. When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection, he asked her to tell the Apostles that He would meet them in Galilee. Jesus began His ministry in Capernaum in the north of Israel, where the Assyrians exiled the Israelites long ago. Now Jesus wants to meet His disciples there, representing that His Gospel is not merely for the former Kingdom of Judah in the south, but also for the former Kingdom of Israel in the north, and even the Gentile foreigners across the world. One important theme of Easter is light and in the Easter Vigil Mass, there is a custom to light candles in the darkness and to keep an Eastern candle burning throughout the Easter season. Christ gives the light of Easter to all who place their faith in Him.
「Spiritual Talk」Easter Sunday – Fr. Anthony Ho
