Homily for Easter Sunday 2024 by Fr. Oscarito Antonio Boongaling
Easter Sunday
Today’s Gospel passage introduces us to how to dispose or conduct ourselves to the reality of the risen Christ who is hidden in life’s events and circumstances, how we respond as being truly human with spiritual eyes and with the heart of a child. The holy evangelist John mentions three initial witnesses to the First Easter event: Mary Magdalene, Peter and the disciple whom the Lord loved.
It was significant that the evangelist John mentioned that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb while it was still dark. The darkness was not only outside but in the state where Mary was — she was grieving for the loss of her friend Jesus. One who grieves is not open to reflect on deeper meanings that life’s losses can possess. Her eyes and the eyes of her heart cannot see beyond what is before her. When she saw the entrance to the tomb open and the stone that sealed it rolled away, she did not even bother to enter the tomb and investigate. She panicked and reported to the disciples that the body of Jesus was stolen.
Then we heard of Peter who was a bit slow in heading to the tomb. He enters the tomb, saw the linen and cloths that were wrapped around Jesus’ lifeless body and head lying separately. But beyond that John did not record Peter’s further response. Remember, he denied our Lord during his trial three times. He must have been in a state of darkness too because of his guilt that prevented him from seeing beyond the material reality that was present. Perhaps he was still processing what took place.
Finally, there was the other disciple whom John described as one who was loved by the Lord. Upon hearing the report of Mary, he ran in haste and reached the tomb first – which I felt was what we do if we heard news about a loved one. We don’t wait for a second to understand what happened to them. Perhaps younger than Peter and showing due respect to him as a recognized authority in their group, he waited for Peter to arrive and enter before he followed. This disciple saw what Peter saw, and he believed. I was intrigued by his response. Yet I felt it was not a complete faith as the evangelist also ended the Gospel passage with the statement, “They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.” He and Peter did not encounter yet the Risen Lord. But we see in this beloved disciple a unique disposition.
One writer says that the beloved disciple had a heart that was open to seek the truth. Remember during the Last Supper, he reclined at the chest of Jesus, asking about the identity of the betrayer. The beloved disciple had an initial recognition that Jesus has risen because of his loving experience and memory of Jesus. He remembered how for several times our Lord had shared with him and the 11 his passion, death, and resurrection. He also witnessed with the others how Jesus raised Lazarus from death. Perhaps he also observed how Jesus during his ministry and encounter with them and with different people – that Jesus saw the potential and the hope that was hidden in everyone.
The beloved disciple possesses this gift of spiritual sight or insight on perceiving the deeper meaning of reality. In the ordinary articles of the stone rolled away, the empty tomb, the linen cloths, he not only verified Mary’s report but interpreted them differently. This reminds me of an old song entitled I Believe, a line saying, “Every time I hear a newborn baby cry, or touch a leaf or see the sky, then I know why, I believe.” The beloved disciple had a contemplative way of looking at everything. His seeing is enlightened by love.
Sisters and brothers, in our encounter with people, things and daily situations, are we able to see what the beloved John saw, or are there emotions and memories that cloud our vision and our hearts like Mary Magdalene and Peter? To have spiritual sight, to possess hearts that are open to interpret the presence of the Risen Christ and the movement of God’s hands in our lives does not grow in us spontaneously. 1 Cor. 2: 9-10: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived – the things God has prepared for those who love him – these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
As we continue with our celebration we will ask God for this gift.
