Easter Octave: Monday 13th April, 2020 April 13, 2020
Reflection on the WORD
Resurrection – Great Joy: the women who saw the empty tomb were fill with great awe and joy that Jesus the Lord has risen. In contrast, the elders tried to conceal the Truth of the Resurrection of Jesus with bribery and lies. Let us live in the Truth and reality of the Risen Christ who is offering us eternal life; and be filled with the Easter Joy.
Matthew 28:8-10, 11b-13, 15
Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples. And suddenly, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Greetings,’ he said. And the women came up to him and, clasping his feet, they did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; there they will see me.’
Some of the guards went off into the city to tell the chief priests all that had happened. These held a meeting with the elders and, after some discussion, handed a considerable sum of money to the soldiers with these instructions, ‘This is what you must say, “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” So they took the money and carried out their instructions, and to this day that is the story among the Jews.
Today's Pointers on God's Word
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- The women were overjoyed when they met the Risen Christ near the tomb and “clasped His feet to pay Him homage.” Jesus assured them of His real presence and told them not to be afraid.
- Jesus’ love for us is always one of assurance. If we accept and allow His love to penetrate our hearts and fill our homes, then we will be building a strong and intimate relationship with Him.
- Like the women at the empty tomb, when we sincerely look for our Risen Lord in our life, especially in the Eucharist, we will want to spread the Good News to others.