April 04, 2010 Easter Sunday Acts 10:34, 37-43; Col. 3:1-4; Jn. 20:1-9 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Readings:     http://www.usccb.org/nab/040410.shtml    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________     Easter morning is more than the sorrow of the disciples and the unexplained emptiness of the tomb. The meaning of Easter is much more for us that just memories blessed. Yes, God comforts us in our sorrows, blesses our memories and gives us strength and peace. It is part of the Christian message that death may end a life but does not end a relationship.   Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb. She found there two angels and one whom she did not recognize. He turned to her and said, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?" She thought he was the gardener, but it was Jesus risen from the grave. He called to her, "Mary," and she recognized him. The Lord had risen that first Easter morning and the world would never again be the same. Mary ran back to the disciples with the glorious news, "I have seen the Lord." From that small group the Gospel would go to the corners of the earth even to this place, Eugene, Oregon. It has come down the centuries to us, now. Death, the final enemy, has been defeated. Those who have gone before us in faith are not really dead but alive in the Lord. We follow Christ to the cross and the tomb and then to everlasting life.   "Let not your hearts be troubled," Jesus said, "Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." Christ has gone before us to prepare a place for us in the Father's house of many mansions. We are not left alone in the face of death, not for ourselves or those who have died.   We are God's people. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, nothing today, nothing tomorrow or ever. The tomb is empty. The grave clothes are lying there but Jesus' body is not to be found. Christ is risen and lives and reigns eternally. Death is not the end for him or for us but eternal life. We do not mourn overmuch for those who die in Christ. We do not sorrow as people who have no hope. Christ is risen!       <<   Previous: Palm Sunday  | Next: 2nd Sunday of Easter >>   Go Back to SERMONS (Year C)