1st Reading Acts 10: 34a. 37-43
Resp. Psalm Ps. 118.
2nd Reading Colossians 3:1-4
Gospel John 20: 1-9
"Early, while it was still dark"
Alleluia, the Lord is Risen! Today is Easter Sunday and the Word of God, particularly the Gospel passage, draws our attention to that mysterious event which strengthens our hope and 'increases our faith' (Lk. 17: 14). If Christ had not risen from the dead,...[our] faith would have been in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14). The Gospel recounts the resurrection of Jesus.
Within the narrative in the Gospel according to John 20, I propose 4 acts that are shrouded in mystery and accompany the fact that "he had to rise from the dead" (John 20: 9). They are: "early in the morning, while it was still dark" (v. 1), "...stone removed from the tomb" (v. 1), "the other disciple whom Jesus loved" (v. 2), "THEY have taken the Lord from the tomb" (v. 2) [who are the THEY]. Let us deal with only one: "early in the morning, while it was still dark" (v. 1).
Mary Magdalene is said to have approached the tomb early in the morning when it was still dark on the first day of the Week. This first day of the Week is Sunday. Infact, the believers set aside Sunday, from thence, as the normal day of worshiping the Lord (Acts 20: 7; 1 Cor. 16: 2). Every Sunday is an Easter.
We have two things being said: First, 'early in the morning' (PRŌI). This is the fourth watch of the night, from 3 O'clock in the morning until 6 O'clock approximately. The morning conveys the image of light. It is actually a good time because everything is exposed by the rays of the Sun. Hence, LIGHT.
The second thing is "while it was still dark". On hearing this, what comes to the limelight is the issue of DAWN (Matt. 28: 1; Lk. 24: 1). That it was still dark conveys the image OF DARKNESS (SKOTÍA). This kind of darkness has a struggle with light. This is the darkness due to want of light. It is associated with ignorance of divine things, wickedness and the resultant misery of hell.
The dawn becomes an image of the struggle between LIGHT AND DARKNESS. It is a time that points to the struggle between GOOD AND EVIL. It is in the midst of this struggle that Mary Magdalene woke up and realized a mysterious event, "the stone removed from the Tomb" which informed her that the Lord's body has been taken away.
This struggle is a decisive moment. It is a very difficult moment for each of us as we also experience those moments when we have to make decisions. Are you choosing the DARKNESS which precedes the day and go back or you will choose the light and move forward? This is the point of decision making. However, we must accept that in all circumstances LIGHT triumphs over DARKNESS.
May the Resurrection of Christ enable us to always choose the GOOD and despise EVIL.
HAPPY EASTER.
Pax et Bonum
❤️❤️❤️
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