The Empty Tomb

The Sunday Gospel [April 24, 2011 - Easter Sunday]

John 20:1-9

1On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. 6When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. 9For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Reflection

“Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.” ~ v. 3

On this great feast of the Resurrection, let’s take a look at the first man to enter the empty tomb. Peter must have come there with many different feelings swirling in his heart – feelings ranging from hope that Jesus was alive again to guilt at having denied him.

Seeing those linens folded neatly, Peter probably recalled his own actions that brought Jesus to such end. “First I bragged about my undying loyalty to him, and then I betrayed him. If he really has been raised up, I have to face him. Jesus knows that I am a coward and a traitor. Will he even take me back?”

But while Peter’s view was so negative, Jesus had a different approach. He looked inside Peter’s heart and saw the love as well as the weakness. He knew that Peter had denied him only out of fear.

Imagine the first conversation between Peter and the risen Lord. “Jesus, why do you put up with me? I failed you!” “Peter, that’s all in the past. I know your heart, and I know your love. The Spirit is coming, and he will strengthen you beyond what you can imagine. So be at peace. I want you to feed my sheep.”

Surely we all have more than a little bit of Peter in us! Like him, we all have made boastful statements about our lives or about our faith at one time or another. And we all have been embarrassed when reality confronted these claims.

So what should we do this Easter? First, let’s give up all of our negative views about ourselves. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Second let’s listen to Jesus as he tells us that he knows how much we love him. Let’s allow these words to move us out into the world to feed his sheep. May we all have a blessed Easter.

“All praise to you, Lord Jesus! You have conquered sin and death. You have lifted me up to be with you forever!” Amen.

Credits: the WORD among us, April 2011

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.” ~ Pope John Paul II

Source: The Reflection is from Bro. Abel Navarro (you can visit his blog at http://myblogabelnavarro-abel.blogspot.com/).