Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • April 2, 2021 5 9274 Hwy 49/Airport Gulfport, MS 39503 228-863-5525 1-800-880-2446 FAX: 228-863-9612 www.butchoustalet.com 1260 Ocean Springs Road, Ocean Springs, MS 39564 Ph: 228-818-0650 For more information, contact Jody Ellis Stoddard, Executive Director or email her at gardensED@BlueHarborSL.com Web Address: www.gardensseniorliving.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheGardensSeniorLivingOceanSprings Jesus Christ is risen, Alleluia, Alleluia! How sweet it is to say those words and how easily they roll off our tongue and bring a smile to our face. But what if we lived in the first century in Jerusalem and were walking to that tomb with Mary of Magdala while it was still dark. Grieving and sad, doing the painful duty of visiting the grave of one we loved so dearly, only to be reminded once again of the horrific torture, ridicule, and death He suffered. Never to loose the stark image of his bloody, beaten, and bruised body with his flesh torn apart and lying on the ground beside him. Is it any wonder when Mary saw the stone had been rolled back, she said, “‘They’ have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put him?” To the injury of Jesus’ crucifixion, ‘they’ have now added the insult of stealing his body. Some years ago, I was at a dinner party with people from our church and after the meal our hostess asked the guests, “If you could live in any period of history, in the company of any person, where would it be and with whom? Someone replied they would choose to have lived in first century Jerusalem and be in Jesus’ company to experience the exciting miracles he performed. Others agreed -- but not me. I imagined being a religious person (a Jew) and wondered how I would have handled this newly arrived teacher who challenged the pious Pharisees. These long-standing religious leaders who sat in the chair of Moses: fasted, paid tithes, were scholars of the law and respected by all. Would I have had the faith or courage to join Jesus’ loose band of upstarts? Probably not. At best, I thought, I may have observed from a distance and made no immediate commitments. So, I concluded that it is far better to be living on this side of the resurrection with 2,000 plus years of apostolic eyewitness, the Sacred Scriptures, teaching Magisterium of the Church, saints, martyrs, the papacy, and an array of witnesses more intelligent and holy than I, giving testimony to Jesus as Lord. What about you? In our first reading, Peter’s proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Messiah contains good, bad, and great news. The good news outlines Jesus’ powerful works of healing, forgiveness, conquering of enemies and building an Apostolic Church. The bad news: they killed Him. The great news: on the third day He rose from the dead and empowered us to be co-laborers in His work of salvation. We are good news each time someone encounters Jesus through our acts of love and kindness. We are bad news when we reject the truth of Christ and offend God and others. We spread great news by announcing that anyone who believes in Jesus and accepts resurrection victory has forgiveness and new life. Today’s Easter Gospel offers the reactions of three people to Jesus’ resurrection and a challenge to consider how we would have acted in the same situation. Mary Magdala was paying respects to a dead person she loved -- not expecting resurrection. Some of us see life through the eyes of sadness and negativity never expecting joy and the hope of new life to renew and refocus our efforts to witness Jesus as Lord. When Mary saw Jesus alive, she believed, and became the first witness to the resurrection. As Peter ran to the empty tomb could he have been thinking of how he could face Jesus after the shame of denying Him three times? Do Catholics stay away from the Sacrament of Reconciliation for years because of guilt or shame? Do we not trust the Lord’s promise of mercy and forgiveness? Do you still, even after He had experienced a horrific death for your salvation, doubt the depth of God’s unconditional love? The beloved disciple John, although not seeing Jesus, chose, by faith, to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. Is this faith of John, caught as well by the other Apostles, saints, and disciples, plus 2,000 years of witness good enough for you to believe even though there are some things about your faith you do not understand? Soon, Jesus would stand before His Apostles and then be seen alive by more than five hundred disciples at once (1 Corinthians 15:6) as risen, glorious, triumphant Lord. His rising from the grave was every bit as real as His dying on the cross. The resurrection was manifest proof of the invincible power of God. The inescapable fact of the resurrection confirmed every word Jesus spoke and every work Jesus accomplished. It has never been easy to be a Christian. The world, the flesh, and the devil loves its own, and hates us. But our Faith, when fully lived, is a fighting, fearless, persistent faith. Grounded in the power of the resurrection, there is nothing that can defeat the Church Jesus founded even though our enemies have tried. If the Church is not prospering at this moment in time and history, it is only more of a call for you and me to strengthen our faith witness and embolden our missionary zeal. We do this during the Octave of Easter. A solemnity so great and central to our faith that Easter Day is celebrated for eight full days, and the Easter season is joyously observed for fifty days. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ -- risen from the grave -- is in our midst. His Holy Word teaches us truth. His Sacred Body and Blood nourishes as food and drink. The Risen Christ is our Eternal Lord; the Head of his Body, the Church; our High Priest; Teacher; and Captain in the well-fought unyielding fight. We have nothing to fear as we strive to win the world for Jesus. We have nothing to fear, for we have an eternal destiny in heaven. We have nothing to fear, even though the earth may quake, kingdoms may rise and fall, and demons may rage. St. Michael the Archangel, and all the hosts of heaven, continually fight on our behalf. No matter what happens in this passing moment of our lifetime, know that God is still God, and Jesus is Lord, forever and ever. Christ lives! Christ reigns, Christ wins! Easter’s joyful shout (Psalm 118:15) is, “Alleluia, Christ is risen -- Friday’s sting is temporary and Sunday’s victory eternal!” Enjoy life: this side of the Resurrection. Deacon Ralph Torrelli lives in Hattiesburg and is assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. Visit his website: www.homilypearls.com. 1st Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43. Responsorial Psalm: 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 2nd Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 Gospel: John 20:-1-9 Easter Sunday This side of the Resurrection Deacon Torrell i Sunday Scripture Commentaries