Celebrating the Resurrection

By Philip Raj csc –

Readings: Act 10:34-43; Col 3: 1-4; Jn 20: 1-9

Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. As Christians, we believe that Jesus has risen, and we are the witnesses to his resurrection. How can we experience the resurrection of Christ in our lives, and bear witness to him? For this question, we get answers from the readings today.

The first reading tells us that if we believe in Christ, we will receive forgiveness for our sins, which helps us go closer to God and purify our hearts. In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us that we are chosen to be witnesses for the resurrection of Jesus and we are not just restricted to our earthly life alone. Rather, Christ invites us to inculcate the values of the kingdom like love, peace, and justice.

In the gospel reading, we see how the apostles experienced the resurrection of Christ and began to proclaim him to the world. Amidst persecution, they never lost the taste of experience of Christ, which gave them hope and strength to do their mission.

We are invited to show to the world that the resurrected Christ is with us and within us in our words, deeds, and actions. This may not be at larger level but at least at the level of our family, workplace, friends circle and so on. Our experience of Christ should make us lively and joyful and as a result, we become strong witnesses to Christ.