EASTER SUNDAY (Cycle “A”)
March 23, 2008

Q. 468: I find it very hard to believe that three people’s experience of an empty tomb, formerly occupied by the body of Jesus, would lead them to Faith.

A. 468: Faith is a gift from God; and the Gospel tells us that one person saw the empty tomb and believed (John 20:8); this was “the disciple that Jesus loved.” But it isn’t the disappearance of the body – the empty tomb – that moved the other disciples to believe in Jesus’ resurrection. I’m sure that Mary Magdalene and Peter had more questions than ever before, when they saw that empty tomb. It was only when they and many other disciples actually saw the Risen Christ, that they were moved to true belief.

So initially their earliest preaching was in the form of “kerygma,” a simple proclamation of the essential elements of their belief. Those elements were the fact that they were indeed Witnesses – they had actually seen Jesus die, and also had seen the Risen Jesus; he is the long-awaited Messiah; in fact, this Messiah fulfilled the words of the prophets; and he calls us all to believe, repent, and receive forgiveness of our sins. One of the earliest examples of this early kerygma or basic preaching is found in the First Reading today (Acts 10:34a, 37-43). All of these elements of kerygma are found in that proclamation.

Christian faith in the resurrection has always been a stumbling block for non-believers. Greek and Roman philosophy (and other oriental religions) accepted some form of spirit life after death, but never did they expect to hear lots of people claiming to have witnessed a resurrected body (for an example of this, remember St. Paul’s experiences in Athens, Acts 17:32). To believe in the resurrection of Jesus means that we also believe in our own resurrection – just as Jesus promised us.

KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! In death, which is the separation of the soul from the body, the human body decays and the soul goes to meet God, while awaiting its reunion with its glorified body (CCC #997). “How” this comes about exceeds our imagination and understanding; it is accessible only to faith (CCC #1000).

Deacon Paul Rooney
Mary Our Queen Parish, Omaha

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