This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad! (Psalm 118:24) The betrayal that occurred this past Wednesday with "Spy Wednesday" with Judas conspiring to betray Jesus for 30 silver pieces, through the suffering that Jesus endured on Good Friday, has now come to a glorious conclusion. The glorious Resurrection of Jesus from the tomb! This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!
Today we celebrate something that never happened before or since Jesus. Yes, Lazarus was raised by Christ from the dead, but he died again. Christ rose from the dead to die no more. He has risen from the world of the dead, with unearthly splendor and glory. Today we celebrate the triumph of life over death, hope over despair, light over darkness and goodness over evil. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!
We who have been baptized in Christ have also risen with Christ and enjoy newness of life. If we died to sin and live in righteousness, we too shall rise like Christ in splendor and glory.
The heavenly Father raised Jesus from the dead and gave him a name above every other name. Good Friday has turned tragedy into triumph, sorrow into joy.
In the gospel we see Peter and the disciple that Jesus loved enter into the empty tomb to find that Jesus was gone. At that point they weren't sure what to make of it. "For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead." (John 20:9) But, as we will hear over the next 50 days of this Easter season, Jesus will appear to them and teach them what they are to know about salvation through Jesus Christ. Eventually, on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit will descend upon them to give them courage and knowledge to go boldly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In our first reading from the Acts we hear Peter proclaiming Jesus Christ. Peter is heard saying, "He commissioned us to preach to the people, and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead." (Act 10:42) Peter, the one that denied Jesus three times on Good Friday, is now boldly proclaiming the Risen Christ. Peter is the one God chose in advance to witness the Lord raised from the dead. Peter proclaims that all who believe in Jesus will receive forgiveness of sin through His name. This great gift of healing and forgiveness is now extended to all of us through the Risen Christ.
As Peter went out to announce the Good News of Christ Jesus, let us, too, go and announce the Good News that Christ died for all of us and is now risen from the dead. Let us boldly proclaim his resurrection with our lives.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!
No comments:
Post a Comment