EASTER GLORY FILLS THE SKY

HOMILY FOR THE SOLENITY OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

That body is no longer in the tomb. We are saved. Our lives have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler (Psalm 127:7).  Christ is now resurrected. His body is no longer like ours. This body now enjoys incorruptibility (he cannot experience decay), impassibility (he cannot feel pains again), ubiquity (he is everywhere), agility ( he does not suffer from weakness again), subtility (he can move without restrictions). Jesus has won. The Sequence rightly states it: death and life were locked in a unique struggle. Life’s captain died; now he reigns, never more to die.  

According to the Gospel (John 20:1-9), It was actually on the first day of the week that Mary had gone to the tomb in the early hours of the morning, but discovered that the stone had been rolled away. She hurriedly ran back to inform Peter and John about the experience. Mary was sure of one thing: the stone was rolled away. But she however thought that someone must have gone in there and stolen the body of Christ. In anxiety, Peter and the unnamed disciple (probably John) ran to witness this. When the two finally reached the tomb, they confirmed the story of the woman and even went an extra mile in entering the tomb. Their discovery was that Christ was no longer in there. However, at this moment, their minds were still ignorant of the fact that Christ had risen. They had only confirmed that the tomb was really empty.

We are then left to imagine the numerous thoughts that ran through their minds about the empty tomb. These thoughts would continue in them until the appearance of Christ to all of them in the evening (cf. John 20:18-23). Now, imagine a scenario where the guards were ready and had their weapons to ward off any intruder who might come to steal the body of Jesus. And suddenly, they were startled in the darkness of the morning by a vision of angels descending to the tomb and rolling away the stone. They could not fight again. They became weakened by the omnipotence of God. Of course, what is left for them is to take to their heels at this vision of the supernatural power of God (cf. Mtt. 28:2-4). Nothing whatsoever can stop God whenever the accomplishment of his will reaches. This is how nothing can stop his plan for us, for He knows the plans he has for us, to prosper us and never to harm us; to give us hope and a future (cf. Jer. 29:11).

His first plan for us is to make us experience the power of the resurrection. St. Peter, the pre-eminent preacher of the empty tomb certifies in the First Reading (Acts 10:34a,37-43) that Christ had risen from the dead.  In this narration, Peter transcends the fear that Mary Magdalene had when she saw the empty tomb: that the body may have been stolen. He moves into a firm belief that the empty tomb was the work of God and a proof that Christ rose from the dead. His body was not stolen, but was risen by the power of God. The impression that Peter gives us is that the power of Christ resurrection made the disciples of Christ courageous that they are able to preach Christ openly. He added that those who believe in Him will receive the forgiveness of sins. This power is able to cleanse us from our sins. If then we have this power of grace, we must then seek that which is above (cf. St. Paul in the Second Reading -Col. 3:1-4). Christ is seated at the right hand of God. And so, anyone who beholds him will join him to appear in glory when his/her life on earth is ended. Glory awaits us.

The message of the resurrection then for us is that pains and sufferings do not endure. It can never end in suffering. There are 5Gs with which we reckon the passion and resurrection of Jesus. The first G is Gethsemane, the garden of cries, disappointments, betrayal and weeping before the arrest. The second G is Gabbatha, the place of judgement, of flogging, of denial and of ridicule. The third G is Golgotha, the place of crucifixion and death. The fourth G is the Grave; the place of burial, the location of restriction and alienation. The fifth G is Galilee, the mountain of the disciples’ meeting of Christ after the resurrection. It is synonymous with Glory, the place where the disciples were empowered to become another Christ. These five Gs represent the various stages we may encounter in our Christian life. All these stages point to the fifth stage of grace (as the number 5 in the scriptures also signified grace). Galilee is a place of glory, of vision, of power, and of a miraculous experience. When am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee (Matt. 26:26-32). He has risen from the dead, and now, He is going before you to Galilee; it is there you will see him…Go and tell my brothers, they shall see me in Galilee (cf. Matt 28:7.10).

The exact location of this meeting makes it more interesting: on a mountain. Mountains have always been known as a place of divine revelation in the scriptures. It was on the mountain that Moses encountered Yahweh. It was also on a mountain that Christ was transfigured. This time around, it is on a mountain that the disciples would be empowered. Hence, the relevance the mountain would have is that of a divine encounter. We encounter the resurrected Jesus that we might make others to encounter Him too. We are raised high to stand on a mountain that we might help to raise others. Glory is meant to be contagious. Glory is meant to be shared. Easter glory radiates and fills the sky. May this glory remain in us now and always. Amen. I WISH YOU A SPLENDID EASTER CELEBRATION. God bless you.