Easter Sunday (Mt. 28:1-10) “Jesus Doesn’t Let Go”

Easter (Mt. 28:1-10) “Jesus Doesn’t Let Go”

        We all have been part of reunions.  During Spring and Summer, we have various types of reunions.  We have family reunions.  We have class reunions.  Reunions happen with military units.  Some sports teams have gatherings.  Often, we feel compelled to attend such events.  Why?  Because the people we reunite with are linked by some common experience.  Usually, it revolves around a time we remember fondly.

        When we read descriptions of the first Easter, there is a lot of disagreement about the details.  Who was the first to see the risen Jesus.  Was it Mary Madeline?  Was it Peter?  Was it someone else?  When did Pentecost happen?  Was it on Easter night?  Was it 40 days later?  At what point did the Ascension occur and where?  We have conflicting accounts.

We can understand all the discrepancies because there was a lot of turmoil, a lot of witnesses, things that happened simultaneously in different locations.  Television journalists weren’t there covering the events for everyone in real time.  Even today with all our sophisticated communications we know how many conflicting stories we can have about an event.  We could remember the storm of this week.  In the chaos that resulted, it was hard to know exactly what was happening.  Was there a tornado?  Where was it?  When would power be restored?  We were all scrambling for information weren’t we. 

We might then appreciate the turmoil revolving around Jesus’ death, we can guess that the disciples had mixed feelings.  One major emotion was probably shock.  Jesus was supposed to be the Messiah, the Son of God.  How could he die in a humiliating way on a cross?  Another emotion was fear.  If they arrested Jesus and executed him, could they next come after his disciples?

One thing that all the accounts seem to agree about is that the followers of Jesus scattered.  The apostles ran away.  But even there we have disagreement.  Did they go back to Galilee? Did they stay in Jerusalem?  We are told that some went back to their everyday life.  We would think that they would have been very disheartened.  But there is one other common thread.  At some point they came together again.  What was it that drew them back?

Somehow, they couldn’t let their community life go.  The time they spent with Jesus in his ministry had been full of promise.  The apostles were drawn out of their mundane lives into an adventure with Jesus.  Jesus had preached uplifting sermons.  He had performed mighty deeds for everyone to see. The disciples didn’t want the good feelings to end.  We could surmise from what we read that the followers of Jesus went back to Galilee where it all began.  Many of them were probably baptized there.  As they heard accounts of the resurrection, putting their community back together again.  And then they had the courage to return to Jerusalem together.   We could say that the Holy Spirit gradually moved them towards the climactic moment of Pentecost.

Each Easter, as we gather in our church community, we go back to the beginnings of our Christian lives.  We center our collective memories on the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist.  What led to our baptism?  What Eucharistic communities have we belonged to in our lives?  We recall the graced moments as Christians at Easter.

Like the first disciples, we have and are always experiencing turmoil in our life.  During the past few years, we have been through a pandemic.  In many ways we have been scattered.  Maybe we are coming back to our church for the first Easter in quite a while.  We are drawn here for the same reason today.  The Holy Spirit has brought us here.  We celebrate another graced moment in our Christian life.

As we commemorate Easter, the communion we share today uplifts us once more.  We are glad to be with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We are reassured that like Jesus we will one day experience the joy of resurrection.  Until that great day, we are challenged to go out to make disciples of those that we meet as we journey through life.  Jesus has brought us together.  The Lord will never abandon us.  He has risen.  He is risen indeed, Hallelujah!

Reflection Questions:

What reunion I have attended means the most to me?  Why?

Does my Christian community give me strength?  What events led to my Baptism?

Dear Parishioners,

         Here are just a few announcements about the Gathering Center.  The northeast door is available for those who find taking steps hard.  There are none there.  I would encourage its use.  I ask those with mobility issues to sit in the front row.  It makes it easier for the communion ministers.

        If you wish to bring someone to church who is in a wheelchair or if you want to drop someone off at the door, please use the west door.  It is open every day for Mass.  There is a electric door opener on that door.  Parishioners in wheelchairs can come to the choir area downstairs.  We will bring communion to those who sit there.

        I would ask those who park on 17th Avenue to refrain from blocking the driveways leading away from the Gathering Center.  A driveway is a no parking zone even if it is not painted yellow.  Please respect areas that are painted yellow.  These areas are no parking areas as well.  We have several handicapped parking spots behind the Gathering Center.  Please try them.

        We are continuing our Centennial Drive.  If you have not donated yet, please help us.

        On this Divine Mercy Sunday, may we trust in our benevolent God.

 Fr. Mark

 P.S. Congratulations to all those who received Easter Sacraments Holy Saturday.  They will be listed in the bulletin.  Congratulate these people when you see them.