Monday in the octave of Easter, Mt 28,8-15

The women quickly came out of the tomb and ran with fear and great joy to tell their disciples. And behold, Jesus went to meet them and addressed them, “I greet you.” And they came and embraced his feet and worshiped him. Here Jesus said to them: “Do not be afraid! Tell my brothers to go to Galilee; they will see me.” Some guards came into the city and told the chief priests everything when they had gone. They met with the elders, took counsel, and gave the soldiers a lot of money, saying, “So say, ‘His disciples came by night, and while we slept they stole him away;’ and if the governor hears of it, we will take him captive and see that nothing happens to you.” They took the money and did as they were instructed. And this is said among the Jews to this day.

Tell my brethren that they shall see me.

In our cemeteries, we can witness even such inconspicuous scenes. People build tombs in their lifetime and go to see them. There is nothing wrong with that if they would at least devote as much time to their soul as they have devoted time and money to their temporary dwelling place – their grave. I have seen a woman weeping over her grave. She is alive; she has sweet words carved in stone there; it is just a pity that those who know her know the state of her life, especially her soul, and that the words on the monument do not match the reality. When I saw this woman, I thought of the most incredible desert – the Sahara. Some scientists say that there is supposed to be a great sea under the Sahara. If humans can reach it, then the water will rise from the depths and make the sands of the desert more fertile. This picture is characteristic of the situation of many people.
Many people live on the surface, lacking nothing. They think even of the time when they will die, but they do not go to the depths and even convince themselves that life is only the world we are in, the world we consume. They do not admit a new life; they do not admit that there could be a particular time in their life and eternal life. They are afraid and scared to leave the old life and start a new one. For us gathered here today on Easter Monday, the event of the Gospel is a strength, and we draw great strength from it. Jesus makes himself known to the women who wanted to show their love for him by anointing his dead body with fragrant ointments.
The women are to mediate an encounter for Jesus’ disciples. Jesus wants to meet his brothers, the apostles. The place of the meeting is well known to the apostles. It is the place where he has called them to be apostles. For the apostles, the Lake of Gennesaret was the place of their calling, but it was also where they ate the bread that they distributed to the crowds after being blessed by Jesus and fed many. It was here that they marveled at the power of Jesus because He acted as one who had authority. It was here that they marveled at the teachings of Jesus that had won not only their hearts and lives but the hearts and lives of many others. Jesus, through the women, invites them back to the lake. This encounter to which he calls them is meant to strengthen their faith, which has been shaken by the events of three days ago when Jesus was taken captive in the Garden of Gethsemane, right up to the laying of his body in the tomb. The apostles begin to realize that much had changed since the event when he called them to follow him as disciples. The freshest event that Christ rose from the dead has shaken them more than the death of Christ. They begin to understand things they did not understand. They realize that they can regain their faith, never to lose it again, so that they may complete the mission to which Christ has called them, so that they may be willing even to die for him.
After the Second Vatican Council, much has been said about faith in today’s world. In the last twenty years, the Church has not survived its death, as the false prophets predicted that the Church would not survive the year 2000; on the contrary, we see that the Church is entering, as it were, into its second youth. This raises the question for us: What is our task, our mission in the world, to engage appropriately with the mission of the Church in modern times? The Resurrection of Christ gives us strong motives. We strive to remain faithful Christians. To be a Christian in the 20th century is no reason to be ashamed of our faith, even in an age of discovery, of progress in all areas of science. Let us remind ourselves that everything we admire today grew out of Christianity. Christianity has brought development; it has sparked culture, and it has enriched civilization. Who built the first schools, hospitals, orphanages, and nursing homes? Not Christianity? Let us consult the list of scientists, writers, and explorers, and we will find that it was the church figures.
Let us remind ourselves that the hallmark of Christianity is not backwardness but, on the contrary, development, and culture, even today. Many would like to change Christianity. However, Christianity must not be understood as a matter of taste, opinion, or how we would best like it… Christianity is based on truth, which cannot change according to who is in power, political, economic, or cultural. That is why the Church says that Christ is risen, even on this morning, even though millions will cry out that it is a lie because history. says they are lying to themselves.

The church and Christianity at this time realize that it is not laid at the whim of men. Faith does not depend on the power of lords. History convinces us that even when Christianity has been trampled upon, persecuted, and even when it has bled, it has always fulfilled the Risen Christ’s mission. Indeed, the more his resurrection was mocked, the more sacrifices the followers of Christ had to make, and the purer and more worthy was the life of Christians. That is why we must speak of the role of Christianity because there are many of them, and each of us can be involved in them for our enrichment here on earth and for our reward in eternity.

At the end of the 20th century, two serious tasks confront believers. Namely, not to be tempted by mammon, which has already led many away from Christ. We know that Broadway has always been directed away from God. To those who want to put into practice the motto: “Carpe diem!” – “Enjoy the day!” need only be reminded of how much sorrow, misfortune, and disappointment there is in the end. Money, fame, power, status, sex, drugs, all this is the field’s grass that quickly withers, withers away. Christians of today have to realize that they must not become enslaved. They must not allow themselves to be enslaved; they must not succumb to the modern-day slave-master of our day – mammon. This does not mean that the Christian must not live within the limits of comfort, of glory… But the first place with the believer must be the Risen One, who says that one day we too will be called to the resurrection of body and soul.

Nelli Cooman, who won the gold medal at the second World Indoor Athletics Championships in Budapest, is an example. In Teleport, an editor asked her what comes first in her life: “Is it a sport?” “No,” replies the winner. “Then, husband?” “Neither husband.” Astonished and curious, the reporter asks the same thing again, and the winner replies, “I put God first, my husband second, and sports third.” Surprised, the reporter asks again, “And does the husband know about this?” “Yes, he does. He also has God first, and I hope,” he smiles mischievously, “that he also has me second.” “I don’t know if you believe, but try talking to him,” while pointing upwards, “and he will always help you.” In doing so, she oozed joy, youth, and strength.

Thus, we can say that she handled our first assignment perfectly. From the screen, it was an extraordinary profession of faith. Our second task is not to be afraid of sacrifice. Jesus says: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Lk 9:23). For us, this means to remain faithful in proclaiming the truth of Christ. The renowned scientist and discoverer of the cure for rabies, the Frenchman Pasteur, when criticized for his faith’s straightforwardness, said: “It is a pity that I do not believe like a Breton peasant, but that I believe like a Breton peasant.” It is known that the Breton peasant women had a profound faith.

Let us pray today for the strength to know the meaning of our life here on earth, not to be afraid of death, but to let our faith flow out of the resurrection of Christ-like living water that turns the desert into fertile ground.