Father Koch: Easter helps us to understand this life and the life to come
March 29, 2024 at 9:00 a.m.
Gospel reflection for March 31, 2024 – Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
As we encounter increasing hostility to our Christian and specifically Catholic faith, there are those who challenge the historicity of the events in the New Testament. Yet with the very blood of their own lives, the apostles consistently and unwaveringly proclaimed that Jesus was raised from the dead. Further inspired by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the apostles were empowered to communicate the message of Jesus and the path of salvation to a world which, then as now, was not always welcoming or open to the challenge and offer of salvation. It is Easter -- the greatest Feast of the liturgical year -- that points us to the meaning of life itself.
The immediate disciples of Jesus, the women such as Mary Magdalene, this sisters Martha and Mary, and several others, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and other members of his family, were badly shaken by the events surrounding Passover. His triumphal entry into Jerusalem just the week before did nothing to prepare them for his arrest and execution. Yet, there they are, cowering in fear and bewildered by all that has happened.
As the events of the weekend unfold, they feel safe on the Sabbath day. No one will bother them, likely not even the Roman authorities, as they do not want to disrupt the Jewish rites even though they have little regard for them.
It is in the midst of this emotional turmoil and abject fear that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of Jesus. The Synoptic Gospels claim that she was accompanied by other women who to complete the Jewish burial rites. She should have realized that she would have been unable to access the tomb as it was closed and she would be unable to open the tomb on her own.
John, however, does not make this claim. He simply states that Mary went to the tomb. He doesn’t speculate as to why, and she is clearly on her own.
Does she go simply to grieve? Or is she curious? Undoubtedly, he has heard Jesus speak about Resurrection, even his own Resurrection. Although it is apparent that neither the disciples nor she thought that he meant now. Yes, they were among those Jews who believed in the resurrection from the dead, but that was in the distant future, not in the immediate present.
It is not until the so-called “other disciple” who accompanied Peter to the tomb looks into the empty tomb that we hear that any of them “believed” that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
This moment is completely transformative of the disciples and, indeed, changes the trajectory of human history.
While most ancient societies believed in an afterlife, some in reincarnation, and others held to some form of resurrection from the dead, this was, ironically, not a common belief among the Jews.
Throughout his public ministry, and especially as understood by John the Evangelist, the focus of Jesus’s teaching and ministry was on eternal life. For a people whose lives were often on the margins, listening to the promise of a better life might be promising. However, Jesus does not offer his disciples what is today called the “prosperity gospel.” Jesus does not promise his followers that if they lead good lives that they will become comfortable in this life. Instead, he challenges his followers to take the narrow road, to tend to the needs of those on the fringes of society, to take up one’s cross daily and follow him. Even in John’s Gospel, where this teaching is less evident, there is no promise that wealth, comfort, and a leisurely life comes with discipleship.
Instead, one lives this life to its fullest -- meaning exercising one’s discipleship in love of God, neighbor, and self -- in the hope and promise of life eternal.
Eternal life -- what we call heaven -- comes at that cost -- but it comes with the promise of faithfulness.
Death has been overcome by the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. The promise of eternal life changes the direction of our lives now, so that we might be sharers in the life to come.
It is with the whole Church -- indeed the totality of creation -- that we boldly shout “Alleluia!” he is risen -- death will be no more.
Happy Easter!
Father Garry Koch is pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel.
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Gospel reflection for March 31, 2024 – Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
As we encounter increasing hostility to our Christian and specifically Catholic faith, there are those who challenge the historicity of the events in the New Testament. Yet with the very blood of their own lives, the apostles consistently and unwaveringly proclaimed that Jesus was raised from the dead. Further inspired by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the apostles were empowered to communicate the message of Jesus and the path of salvation to a world which, then as now, was not always welcoming or open to the challenge and offer of salvation. It is Easter -- the greatest Feast of the liturgical year -- that points us to the meaning of life itself.
The immediate disciples of Jesus, the women such as Mary Magdalene, this sisters Martha and Mary, and several others, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and other members of his family, were badly shaken by the events surrounding Passover. His triumphal entry into Jerusalem just the week before did nothing to prepare them for his arrest and execution. Yet, there they are, cowering in fear and bewildered by all that has happened.
As the events of the weekend unfold, they feel safe on the Sabbath day. No one will bother them, likely not even the Roman authorities, as they do not want to disrupt the Jewish rites even though they have little regard for them.
It is in the midst of this emotional turmoil and abject fear that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of Jesus. The Synoptic Gospels claim that she was accompanied by other women who to complete the Jewish burial rites. She should have realized that she would have been unable to access the tomb as it was closed and she would be unable to open the tomb on her own.
John, however, does not make this claim. He simply states that Mary went to the tomb. He doesn’t speculate as to why, and she is clearly on her own.
Does she go simply to grieve? Or is she curious? Undoubtedly, he has heard Jesus speak about Resurrection, even his own Resurrection. Although it is apparent that neither the disciples nor she thought that he meant now. Yes, they were among those Jews who believed in the resurrection from the dead, but that was in the distant future, not in the immediate present.
It is not until the so-called “other disciple” who accompanied Peter to the tomb looks into the empty tomb that we hear that any of them “believed” that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
This moment is completely transformative of the disciples and, indeed, changes the trajectory of human history.
While most ancient societies believed in an afterlife, some in reincarnation, and others held to some form of resurrection from the dead, this was, ironically, not a common belief among the Jews.
Throughout his public ministry, and especially as understood by John the Evangelist, the focus of Jesus’s teaching and ministry was on eternal life. For a people whose lives were often on the margins, listening to the promise of a better life might be promising. However, Jesus does not offer his disciples what is today called the “prosperity gospel.” Jesus does not promise his followers that if they lead good lives that they will become comfortable in this life. Instead, he challenges his followers to take the narrow road, to tend to the needs of those on the fringes of society, to take up one’s cross daily and follow him. Even in John’s Gospel, where this teaching is less evident, there is no promise that wealth, comfort, and a leisurely life comes with discipleship.
Instead, one lives this life to its fullest -- meaning exercising one’s discipleship in love of God, neighbor, and self -- in the hope and promise of life eternal.
Eternal life -- what we call heaven -- comes at that cost -- but it comes with the promise of faithfulness.
Death has been overcome by the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. The promise of eternal life changes the direction of our lives now, so that we might be sharers in the life to come.
It is with the whole Church -- indeed the totality of creation -- that we boldly shout “Alleluia!” he is risen -- death will be no more.
Happy Easter!
Father Garry Koch is pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel.