Easter Monday

Today’s gospel reading suggests that just as Jesus’ enemies did away with his earthly life, they also tried to do away with his risen life. A meeting of the religious leaders was held at which it was decided that a story would be put out to explain why the tomb was empty early on the first day of the week. Jesus’ disciples came during the night and stole his body from the tomb. Not only was Jesus crucified as a criminal but his disciples were to be labelled as body snatchers. However, all of these efforts to suppress the good news of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead were in vain. Jesus appeared to the women who had come to the tomb early with their spices. He went on to appear to his disciples in Galilee and, according to Saint Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, there were many more people to whom the risen Lord appeared, some of whom were still alive at the time Paul was writing to the church in Corinth twenty five years or so after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Those to whom the risen Lord appeared, including Paul himself, went on to preach the good news of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection to Jews and pagans alike. In today’s first reading we find Peter and the other apostles preaching the gospel to the Jews in Jerusalem. Jesus’ risen life cannot be snuffed out the way his earthly life was taken from him. Jesus’ enemies had some control over his earthly life; they had and have no control over his risen life. The Lord’s risen life is a glorious flame that no human power can extinguish. The risen Lord is present among us, present within us, through the Holy Spirit, in season and out of season, in good times and in bad. He is present to us every day as light in our darkness, as strength in our weakness and as loving communion in our isolation. For this irrepressible good news, we can all give thanks this Easter Monday.