EASTER – Alleluia, Alleluia!

If you were to find an image of the Christian life in today’s Gospel reading, it would not be the sad journey of Mary Magdalene to the tomb in the darkness; it would be much more the excited running to the tomb of the beloved disciple and Peter in the early light or, even more so, the subsequent journey of Mary Magdalene who, having met the risen Lord, went to the disciples to announce, ‘I have seen the Lord.’

Because of Easter, because of our conviction that in the person of Christ life has triumphed over death, we can approach with expectant faith whatever it might be in our life that seems to be a tomb, trusting that signs of new life are to be found there.

Because of Easter we know that even our darkest moments, our Golgotha experiences, are bathed in the light of the risen Christ. Because of Easter we are also sent forth, like Mary Magdalene, as messengers of the risen Lord. Easter commits us to resisting all forms of death and violence; it commissions us to be channels of God’s vibrant life to all who are in darkness and the shadow death. In renewing our Baptism on this Easter day, we renew our response to that Easter commission.

This reflection is taken from Journeying with Luke - Reflections on Sunday Gospel, Readings for Year C, by Fr Martin Hogan, priest of the Diocese of Dublin.