Today's Gospel: John 20:1-9 - Easter Sunday Christ is risen! Alleluia! Celebrating Easter on April Fool’s Day seems like it deserves some fantastic punchline. There’s no joke here, though (much to the relief of my husband!) Instead, we meet, in today’s Gospel from Mark, women who must have had very heavy hearts after witnessing the death of their beloved teacher and friend. Likely still in shock after a brutal and torturous killing, they go to anoint him in the tomb. Yet… He is gone. He has risen just as He said! If you read my writing at all, you may know that Mother Teresa and I are quite simpatico. She reminded us to never be so filled with sorrow that we forget the joy of Christ risen. So it is with the women at the tomb today. Can you imagine the sheer joy of knowing their beloved lives?!? If you’ve ever lost someone dear to you, you may know that feeling of wishing there had been a mistake – that they are still alive somehow. Here are Mary Magdalen, Mary the mother of James, and Salome witnessing exactly this – Jesus is alive! It’s tempting for me to wallow in my seeming misery. As a woman of faith, though (in particular, a faith in a risen Christ) I’m called to go beyond my anguish to see hope. Our suffering is real, but His power is greater. As Pope St. John Paul II proclaimed, “We are an Easter people, and alleluia is our song!” If I allow myself to spend too long in the tomb, I forget that the stone has been rolled away. I forget that my job is allow the hardship of my life to show others the power and mercy and love of Christ, and to bring Jesus onto their struggle bus.

Ponder:

Where in our lives do we get stuck in the tomb? Take a moment today and invite Jesus to bring light and hope into the situation.

Pray:

Lord Jesus, Savior God, we pray for your tomb-shattering power over our lives today. Help us to live in that power through hard times and to proclaim the Gospel of hope and joy with our lives each day. Amen.
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About the Author

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Rakhi McCormick

Rakhi is a Catholic wife and mother who works in parish communications part-time while trying to keep up with her husband, three young children, and a growing creative business. She is a convert from Hinduism and spent many years working in young adult and campus ministry. Rakhi’s blog and artwork can be found at The Pitter Patter Diaries, where her mission is to share the love of Christ with the world.