4/5/2026 (Easter Sunday) Today’s Gospel reading: John 20:1-9

1 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.
2 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 don’t know where they put him.”
3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first;
5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.
9 For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

4/5/2026 (Easter Sunday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: John 20:1-9

The Resurrection of the Lord

The Gospel passage above brings us to a quiet but life-changing discovery: the empty tomb. It begins in confusion and grief, with hearts still heavy from loss. Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb expecting to find death, but instead finds something missing. The stone is rolled away, the body is gone, and everything she thought she understood is suddenly shaken. Soon, others run to see for themselves. They observe, they wonder, and slowly, belief begins to rise.

This moment reflects many of our personal experiences. There are times when life feels like a closed tomb—when hope seems buried, when answers are unclear, and when we are left trying to make sense of unexpected changes. Like those who first came to the tomb, we often approach situations with assumptions shaped by fear or past pain. But sometimes, what we think is loss is actually the beginning of something new.

The empty tomb reminds us that not everything is as it seems. Just because we cannot immediately see the outcome does not mean that something powerful is not unfolding. In our personal struggles, whether it’s failure, heartbreak, or uncertainty, we may feel like the story has ended. But this passage encourages us to look again. It invites us to move from confusion to curiosity, and from doubt to belief.

Notice also the urgency in the story. The disciples ran. There was a sense that something important was happening, something worth seeking and understanding. In our lives, we are often tempted to remain passive, to accept discouragement without question. But this moment challenges us to pursue truth, to seek meaning, and to not settle for hopeless conclusions. Growth often begins when we take that step, when we choose to “run” toward understanding rather than walk away in defeat.

For individuals, this passage is a call to faith in the middle of uncertainty. It reminds us that belief is sometimes a journey. Not everyone understands immediately, and that’s okay. What matters is the willingness to keep searching, to keep looking, and to remain open to transformation. Faith is not always instant clarity; sometimes it grows quietly as we reflect and trust.

For today’s world, the message of the empty tomb is deeply relevant. We live in a time where many people feel surrounded by “tombs”, situations that seem lifeless or beyond hope. There are conflicts that divide nations, injustices that burden communities, and personal struggles that leave people feeling lost. It can be easy to believe that darkness has the final word.

But the empty tomb tells a different story. It declares that endings are not always final, that hope can rise even after deep loss, and that transformation is possible even when it seems unlikely. It challenges the mindset of despair and invites us to become people of hope.

Imagine a world where individuals carry this perspective, where instead of giving up, people look again; where instead of spreading fear, they share hope; where instead of staying in confusion, they seek truth. This is how the message of the empty tomb continues to impact society today.

The Gospel reading is not just about what happened long ago; it is about what can happen within us now. It reminds us that even in the most uncertain moments, something greater may be unfolding. And when we choose to believe, even without having all the answers, we step into a hope that has the power to change our lives and the world around us.

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