You Are Witnesses to My Resurrection
March 23, 2008

Readings for Easter Sunday, the Resurrection of the Lord

Reading 1: Acts 10:34a, 37–43

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 118:1–2, 16–17, 22–23

Reading 2: Col. 3:1–4 or 1 Cor. 5:6b–8

Gospel: Jn. 20:1–9

Link to Readings

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By Monsignor Charles M. Mangan

Something has changed in this place within a span of a few days. Colors and sounds—even smells—are different in this church from only a couple dozen hours ago.

“He has risen as He said. Alleluia!” It is fitting that there have been changes here—and this statement is the absolute key. The Risen Lord Jesus Christ is so all-encompassing that His stunning victory over the tomb . . . His very return to life warrants that we worship differently than we did during this past week when we, by our prayers and penances, focused on His Passion and death.

Now we consider carefully His amazing triumph over the grave—what Our Blessed Lady unhesitatingly believed would occur, given her Son’s unfailing words, but what the other disciples of the Master were too fearful and overwrought initially to accept.

Yes, our senses signal that something has happened. And more importantly, our faith, which requires a submission of our intellectual powers to the Truth, informs us that an incredible thing has taken place: Jesus the Christ kept His promise and rose from the dead.

No wonder then that our colors and music reflect this earthshaking event.

The Messiah’s Challenge

But that isn’t the only transformation that we notice. Something has occurred within us. We have been changed. The Resurrection of the God-man means that we need no longer be the persons we once were when pride, anger, envy, lust, gluttony, avarice, and sloth controlled us and made us unhappy. When we unite ourselves to His conquest over Satan, we inherit the grace-filled results. We grow in His likeness and His ability to serve others, even to death.

The Resurrection of Jesus has demonstrated that there is hope for us. We do enjoy the prospect of Everlasting Life in Heaven. But to obtain it, we must recognize Christ’s bold call to be His witnesses. We must become His obedient servants.

You are witnesses to My Resurrection. We hear the Messiah’s challenge ring in our ears.

Since we have been raised up with Christ in Baptism, now we must seek what is above—that which is the True, the Good, and the Beautiful.

No longer may we settle for what is transitory: societal fads and sentimental slogans that tickle our ears but vanish tomorrow.

Our lives must be a clear proclamation that Jesus has risen as He promised. Our transparent faith demonstrates that we believe in and follow Our Risen Lord, and that we want others to believe and follow Him, too. We desire that others come to know, love, and obey Jesus Christ Crucified and Risen, as we have!

When we unite ourselves to the Risen Lord through our prayers, reception of the Sacraments, sacrifices, and charitable works, we become His witnesses more fully. Then we are enabled to share this Good News with our neighbors despite our own personal weakness.

Christ’s Friends

The call from Jesus to be witnesses to His Resurrection fills our hearts with joy. When we deeply experience the Risen Christ, we see how beautiful life is as His friends and how empty it is without Him.

We desperately need spiritual security that only Jesus can give—security that will last and last regardless of the ups and downs of the financial markets. We need the security that Christ pledges to us: I am the Resurrection and the Life. If anyone believes in Me, even if he dies, he will live.

With St. Mary Magdalen, who went to the tomb of Jesus early on the first Easter morning, we see Our Lord and we believe. We see Him in this Holy Eucharist and we believe that He takes away our sins and in their place gives His Love and Peace to us.

As St. Peter and the other Apostles were witnesses of what Jesus did, so are we. We testify to His mercy and forgiveness notwithstanding our utter unworthiness. All we do is to glorify God and assist in the salvation of our brothers and sisters.

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” We assent with our entire beings that on this day, Jesus Christ calls us to be witnesses to His Resurrection. May we not disappoint Him.

Monsignor Charles Mangan is a priest of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, SD, a member of CUF's advisory council, and a frequent contributor to Lay Witness. He currently works in Rome as a member of the Vatican's Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life.

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