EASTER SUNDAY: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

Theme: NO POWER CAN TAKE AWAY MY JESUS ALLELUIA!

(John 20:1–9)

Death could not do much. Death could not stop Jesus from doing anything. The great stones could not hold him. Death and the powers of darkness failed woefully. The Easter is indeed a celebration of joy, hope, and liberation. We have every reason to rejoice and be glad in the Lord:

LOVE REMAINS

By killing Jesus, the enemies thought it was going to be the end of his love and concern for the salvation of man and his relationship with man. They thought they had cut him off from the land of the living. It was not so. They gave him a flight ticket to enlarge His kingdom by preaching to the dead and taking them along with Him after a three days retreat. They couldn’t even stop the love of those who really knew Jesus after all the deceptive ploys. Mary Magdalene came with love to the grave and thought they had taken away the Lord. May your joy never be taken away. May you never lose grip of what is yours. May the death of Christ reveal the depth of his love for you, and may you, by the power of his resurrection, be drawn to believe more in him. The world can take away everything from you but not the love of God just as they took everything away from Jesus but not the Father’s love.

THE THIRD DAY REMAINS

The Apostles who went to the tomb confirmed that Jesus wasn’t there anymore. They confirmed emptiness. But at this moment, they never understood anything about resurrection.

The third day is very important. When Jesus cried: “it is finished,” maybe some of his mockers laughed and thought they had finished Him. Oh no. What finished was his pre-resurrection ministry, but the fruit of the sown seed will germinate that no force can terminate. He was buried to die, but he became a plant that bloomed after the third day.

What are the circumstances burying you? What are the situations putting you down in shame? Jesus cried your cry. Weep not! He died your death, fear not! But on the third day he gives you assurance that it doesn’t end in sorrows. He tells you that Good Friday is necessary but can never take away the Easter reality. He tells you that your toils will bring you joy. He tells you that your own tomb will also be emptied of the devil’s plan. In fact, the tomb is never your place. Jesus insists that after the rains, there must be sunshine. Jesus promises that there may be tears in the night, but there must be laughter in the morning.

Child of God, look towards the third day and be radiant.

JESUS IS ALIVE ALLELUIA

That Jesus MUST RISE from the dead was a teaching the Apostles found as a hard nut to crack. The Easter message is that the grave is not His abode. He belongs to a kingdom. He came to open the kingdom for those held bound by the power of the grave. Since Jesus has risen, what are we still looking for in the tomb? Oh, let us rise! He lives, and because He lives, I can face tomorrow. He is alive forever Alleluia. You cannot die again. You shall live to sing of the Lord’s goodness. He took your mortality to give you immortality.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

LET US PRAY

We thank You, Lord, for restoring our joy and giving us reasons to move on proudly as children of the light by the power of Your Son’s resurrection. May we live and reign with the risen Christ in the glory of His light to the shame of the overthrown enemy of salvation through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Easter to you and your loved ones. Alleluia!!!

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh