Show Notes
The opposite of hope is despair, and as an Easter people we no longer have to despair, but trust in God's love, mercy, and hope for us.
Gospel: Jn 20:1-9
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Episode Transcript
[00:00:12] Speaker A: Welcome to the Blessed Sacrament Homilies podcast, where our mission is to help everyone recognize and experience the presence of God. We hope you are nourished and encouraged by the word. Thank you for joining us.
[00:00:26] Speaker B: The Lord be with you and with your spirit. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John Glory to you.
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them they have taken the Lord from the tomb and we do not know where they have put him.
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first.
He bent down and saw the burial clause there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial clothes there and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths, but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed, for they did not yet understand the scripture, that he had to rise from the dead. The gospel of the Lord praise to you.
The opposite of hope is despair, and at its heart, the story of the resurrection and the glory of Easter has pretty much in fact, has totally eliminated the need for the word despair in our dictionary.
So when you go home, pull out your websters and just cross it off, because it shouldn't be there anymore.
The last vestiture of despair has recently come to an end.
All of us lions fans know that to be true.
But think of Jesus closest disciples, those who truly loved him and followed him right into the holy city.
Those that were there shouting Hosanna in the highest as he entered in through the gates, if they weren't in despair, they were a hair away from it, because they had not quite fully understood, nor would we if we were there.
Everything that he had told them.
And here was this Jesus whom they were sure was the one that was going to save them.
So imagine what was going through their hearts as they saw him going to the cross.
This person that they thought was the messiah was now suffering and dying right before them.
And I'm sure most did despair.
Yet there were a few, a precious few, that didn't. They were the ones that hung on. They were the ones that came to the tomb, not necessarily looking for him to rise, but recognizing that there was still something in his presence at this tomb that was offering them life.
And Mary of Magdala was a perfect example of that.
While she was close, she didn't give up.
And what she found was all of that faith, all of that trust, all of that hope was merited.
Which is why she was the first to see the tomb open.
And we can almost can't imagine what her heart must have felt like at that moment.
Except we can imagine, because that story that was there for her is the same one that we have.
That the tomb was found empty.
That the Lord has risen, that he won that victory over sin and death. And if at any point in your life, no matter what your circumstances are, you are close to despair, just bring that to mind.
That no matter what we experience in this life, no matter how hard it can be, no matter how heart wrenching it can be, the ultimate glory comes from the empty tomb. And the Lord offers us eternal life.
And that can wash away any pain, any struggle, any loss of hope, for we truly are an Easter people.
