THE STONE THAT COVERED THE TOMB HAS BEEN MOVED

THE STONE THAT COVERED THE TOMB HAS BEEN MOVED

After darkness came light, after silence came contemplation, after sadness came joy, after death comes life: CHRIST HAS RISEN!

Last Sunday we continued to celebrate the foundation of our faith: The Resurrection of Christ. And like every year we have been on vigil, because we wanted to accompany Christ to the tomb and be witnesses of his Resurrection. This is the faith we celebrate, a faith by which we believe and hope in our Lord, who has said of himself that he is “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14, 6).

Last Sunday’s morning gospel (Jn 20, 1-9) gives us beautiful details of that First Day, when Jesus was resurrected. The gospel mentions that the day after Saturday, very early in the morning, when everything was dark, Mary Magdalene hurried to the tomb and found the stone that covered Jesus' tomb moved, so until that moment it can only be said clearly that the Jesus' body is not there. That day only one empty tomb could be found. Now, faced with doubts, questions and fears, a search begins. During the hours that will advance that same day, Jesus himself will go out to meet his people and let himself be seen and touched so that doubts disappear.

The Resurrection of Christ, which occurred before dawn on that Sunday, has in itself an echo of Creation, since He who is the Light of the world (Jn 8, 12) with His brilliance not only makes the darkness recede, but even Death itself, which seemed the last sentence on humanity, is also moved to the side giving way to life, that is why we can understand that the stone that covers the tomb only speaks to us of death, while once the tomb is opened it may be possible to discover new life.

May the light of the Risen Christ shine in all of us, so that our lives shine and speak to humanity of Life in Christ, of whom today we are his witnesses.

Fr. Carlos Flores, OSA