The Resurrection of Jesus

In the First Glorious Mystery, we contemplate the Resurrection of Jesus.

From the Gospel of John (20:1, 11-16)
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw the stone had been removed from the tomb. (…) But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. (…) she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, by she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). 

Commentary by St. Ephrem
Glory be to You, Jesus Christ, who made Your cross a bridge over death through which souls can pass from death to life.

Meditation 1
Jesus’ Resurrection proves that evil does not have the last word. Death is no longer the end of life but a passage to eternal life. It is the Resurrection that gives meaning to all existence; if our end were the same as that of all living beings, human life would have no meaning—it would be a pointless toil.

If Christ had not risen, our existence would be in vain: joys would not be true joys, and sorrows would be even sadder and devoid of hope. We would be the most miserable of all men, as St. Paul said, but more than that, we would be the most wretched of all living beings.

Unlike other living beings, humans are aware of living and are free to direct their own lives. Without the Resurrection, this self-awareness of our condition and end would be a constant torture.

In the metamorphoses of some animals, like the butterfly, or in the three states of water, where it becomes invisible without ceasing to be water, nature offers examples that help us believe that, like Jesus, our material body will be transformed into a spiritual and glorious body similar to His.

Meditation 2
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is important for many reasons. First, it testifies to the immense power of God Himself. To believe in the Resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists and if He created the universe and has power over it, then He also has the power to raise the dead. If He did not have such power, He would not be a God worthy of our faith and worship. Only He who created life can resurrect after death. By raising Jesus from the grave, God reminds us of His absolute sovereignty over life and death.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ validates who Jesus claimed to be, namely the Son of God and the Messiah. The Resurrection of Jesus was the "sign from heaven" that authenticated His ministry (Matthew 16:1-4). The Resurrection of Jesus Christ, attested to by hundreds of eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:3-8), provides irrefutable proof that He, and He alone, is the Savior of the world.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ proves His sinless character and divine nature. The Scriptures said that God's "Holy One" would never see decay (Psalm 16:10), and Jesus did not experience decay even after His death (Acts 13:32-37). It was on the basis of Christ's Resurrection that Paul preached, "Through this man the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you... by this Jesus everyone who believes is set free from all those sins from which you could no t be freed by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38-39).

Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
we contemplate Your glorious Resurrection with gratitude and reverence.
You, who conquered death, bring us the hope of eternal life and renew our faith.
It was You who, with infinite love, made the cross a bridge over the abyss of death
so that all of us may pass from the darkness of sin into the light of life.

Lord, help us to live in the light of Your Resurrection.
May the power of Your victory over evil transform our lives,
giving us strength to face difficulties
with the certainty that death and suffering do not have the final word.
Just as Mary Magdalene recognized Your voice in the garden,
may we too hear Your call
each day and respond with love and fidelity.

Lord, grant us the grace to live with hearts full of Your peace and joy,
knowing that through Your Resurrection, our life has an eternal purpose.
Help us to be living witnesses of Your presence,
bringing hope to those who suffer and light to those who live in darkness.

May our body one day, like Yours, be transformed into a glorious body,
and that, through Your mercy, we may be with You in the fullness of eternal life.
We praise and thank You, Lord, for being our Redeemer,
who is risen and lives forever. Amen.

Fr. Jorge Amaro, IMC