Easter Sunday (Year A) – Reflections from Fr Sean Hall
John 20:1-9
In ancient times Mary Magdalene was given the name “apostola apostolorum” (“the apostle to the apostles”), because she is the first to see the Empty Tomb, just as she will be the first to meet the Risen Christ himself (in the subsequent verses of John’s Gospel). On both accounts she is the one to tell the apostles what she has witnessed. Having told Peter and John about the tomb she is, for the moment, side-lined in what happens next. The two disciples go racing to the tomb and, on entering, both came to belief: John, “saw and believed,” while both now began to understand about how the Scriptures say that Jesus, “must rise from the dead.” The whole of St John’s Gospel revolves around “belief”, “life” and “love”, as we have seen in previous extracts given us over the last few weeks. They act like a mantra, a meditation, which now comes to its climax.
Acts 10:34, 37-43
Throughout the Easter Season our First Readings will be taken, not from the Hebrew Scriptures as during the rest of the year, but from St Luke’s account of the earliest preaching of the Good News by Jesus’ closest followers. Here we dive straight into the account, not of the first day of preaching at Pentecost, but rather the first time that Peter realises that this Good News is not only for the Jewish people, but for Gentiles as well. The message of the Resurrection is for all people, of all time.
Colossians 3:1-4
It seems that people in the community at Colossae were being tempted to return to former pagan – and in some cases, Jewish – practices. The writer – St Paul or a close companion of Paul’s writing on his behalf – reminds everyone that Christ is the centre of their faith. It is he who is “the head of the body, the Church” (1:18). In this extract he reminds them especially that that they have been “raised with Christ” to a new life and that they should put old ways f irmly behind them.
Prayer
Risen Lord, as we rejoice in your triumph over sin and death, may we reflect some of the joy of this day to those around us, that they too may experience the hope and promise of these events. Amen.
Image from www.christian.art
Rouen Cathedral, West Facade, Sunlight,
Painting by Claude Monet (1840–1926),
Painted in 1894,
Oil on canvas
© National Gallery of Art, Washington
