Easter Sunday - The Resurrection of the Lord - The Mass of Easter Day (April 1, 2018): God has surprises for you!

Thứ Bảy, 31-03-2018 | 15:00:08

Today’s Readings:

Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8
John 20:1-9
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040118.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/18_04_01.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

On 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.
So 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.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.

Good News Reflection: God has surprises for you!

Celebrate! Today is the anniversary of the Great Surprise, and just as the first disciples were surprised to find the tomb empty, so too does God have some resurrection surprises in mind for you!

In Easter Sunday’s Gospel reading, there’s a lot of scurrying around and excitement and the reporting some amazing news that no one yet understands. Even though Jesus had given them advance notice that he would rise again after being put to death, God’s plans took them by surprise. They did not expect a resurrection. They didn’t understand that it was a necessary part of the Messiah’s mission.

God’s plans often take us by surprise. In so many situations of our lives, we don’t understand that hard times are going to produce wonderful victories. We fail to realize that the empty tombs in our lives (the losses that we grieve) are beginnings of important new growth. We cannot imagine how Jesus is going to redeem bad times into great blessings.

We suffer through the hardships, just trying to cope, waiting for an opportunity to finally walk away from our crosses. Meanwhile, Jesus wants to give us an Easter morning because of the crosses.

How can we recognize the glory of God when we’re depressed? How can we realize our resurrections when we’re cursing our crosses? It’s impossible!

To be the Easter people that we’re supposed to be, we have to learn how to see the hope of resurrection in the pain of the cross. We have to trust that Jesus is always there, working a plan to redeem bad into good. We have to allow ourselves to be surprised by God.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
What trials are you still enduring? What cross are you still carrying? Are you still being nailed for something you did not do? Which of your desires or dreams are dying? Ask the Father to use your sufferings for the glory of his kingdom. What new life is this creating for you?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
What are some of the ways in which God has surprised you? How is this an experience of resurrection?

Today’s Prayer:

Lord Jesus: Give me a thirst for seeking you and having a personal meeting with you. Help me recognize your presence in my life, even when you seem absent. Amen.

Tags: Easter Sunday, Good News Reflection, Holy Gospel according to Mark, Octave of Easter, The Resurrection of the Lord