The Empty Tomb

Easter Sunday

April 5, 2015

John 20:1-9

“…he saw and believed. (Jn 20:8).”

 

The Easter morn is the time Jesus resurrected from the dead. This is the summit of the liturgical calendar and in fact, the foundation and source of our faith. St. Paul himself said, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins (1 Cor 15:17).”  Thus, It was not surprising if Bishop Theodoro Bacani, DD, our professor in UST, began his lecture on Christology with resurrection. He pointed out that the four Evangelists agree that the resurrection is the climax of their Gospels. They might have slightly different details in the account of the Easter morning, but they converged in one striking similarity: the empty tomb.

Why does the tomb have to be emptied? Where is Jesus? Why did not he just wait there and appear to the woman and the disciples? Pope Francis once mentioned in his homily that risen Christ has no need to open the tomb, but He rolled the stone, so that we may enter. Yet, when they were inside, Mary of Magdala wept at the sight, and Peter, the prince of the apostles, did not comprehend and went away. Only one could really understand: the disciple whom Jesus loved. Indeed, it requires love to understand love. Jesus has to rise again and the empty tomb is beautiful sign of His victory over darkness and death.

If we go back to the story of nativity, the reason why Jesus was born in the stable was that there was no room available for Joseph and Mary. We are so full of ourselves that we no longer able to receive God in our lives. We are filled by our ambitions, our achievements, and our arrogance. We are preoccupied by success, career and fame. Sometimes, we also are conquered by hatred, anger and envy for others. We can no longer see the most beautiful gift that knocks before our souls.

The resurrection has undone this callus orientation toward ourselves. Why the tomb is empty is because it is the symbol of Jesus who is radically emptying Himself, giving Himself for us, and loving us to the end. With this emptiness, Jesus now can welcome everyone who seeks Him because there is space for everyone. The true act of love surely entails certain pains, not because it has masochistic tendency, but because to give up the most precious thing and to make room for others for others are practically saying no to our own pleasure.

However, when we can make room for others and especially Jesus in our hearts, we learn to see that life is more beautiful when it is shared. We find a deeper meaning as others discover love and comfort inside our small tomb. We receive joy as persons we care learn also to love. It is the joy of the Easter morn.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP