The Tomb Could Not Hold Him

Dear Parishioners,

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! On this glorious Easter Solemnity, the Church bursts forth with joy: the tomb is empty, death is conquered, and new life dawns for all. (Matt 28:1-10) As Mary Magdalene raced to the apostles, crying, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb," so we too run to proclaim the miracle that shattered the grave's silence. (John 20:1-9) The stone rolled away not by human hands, but by divine power, reveals the Risen Lord who calls us to believe without seeing.

Sin is conquered, and Christ triumphs even over death, in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter boldly testifies: "God shows no partiality," proclaiming Jesus' life, death, and resurrection to all who witnessed his works in Judea and Galilee. (Acts 10:34a, 37-43) This same Jesus, "whom they put to death by hanging on a tree," God raised on the third day, appearing to chosen witnesses who ate and drank with him. Echoing this, the Psalmist sings: "O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!" The rejected stone is now the cornerstone, God's deed before our eyes.(Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23)

St. Paul urges us heavenward that: "If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above... Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."(Like unleavened bread, we cast out old yeast of malice to celebrate with sincerity and truth, for Christ, our Paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Cor 5:6b-8.)

Inspired by the teachings of Bishop Fulton Sheen's vivid imagery, envision the Cross as Calvary's throne where Love triumphed over hate, drawing all to the empty tomb, which is a victory so real it demands our witness in daily struggles. St. Josemaría Escrivá reminds us in his book, ‘Conversations with God’, that the Resurrection infuses ordinary life with divine power: amid work and family, we live as risen ones, turning mundane moments into encounters with the Living Christ, sanctifying the world through faithful love.

In the Apostle St. Paul's Easter Vigil’s epistle, we hear the call: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life."(Romans 6:3-6:11.) Let us rise today! Die to sin's old self; and live for God in Christ. Let baptism's waters propel us to heroic charity at home, work, and beyond. let us reveal his glory!

This Easter, let the empty tomb ignite your heart. Share the Good News that: The Tomb Could Not Hold Him!

Tue 14, Apr 2026 04:04 am