Jesus is risen! Alleluia! Our Easter celebration begins with a joyful proclamation of the greatest miracle in human history. The crucified one has been raised from the dead!
This Sunday’s Easter Gospel reading may be taken from John (20:1-9) or Matthew (8:1-10). Matthew’s account takes up right where the Palm Sunday reading left off, immediately after the account of the burial of Jesus.
In both John and Matthew, women are the first to approach the tomb of Jesus and discover that it is empty. In John, Mary Magdalene makes this discovery by looking into the tomb and finding it empty. In Matthew’s account, an angel tells Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” (probably the Mary mentioned in 27:56 and 27:61, “Mary the mother of James and Joseph”) that “Jesus the crucified” has been raised.
Last week we reflected on how Matthew’s account of the Passion gives us insight into the humanity of Jesus. In this week’s reading, we have a glimpse into his divinity. When Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” hear the amazing news of Jesus’ resurrection, they run to tell the disciples. On the way, they encounter the risen Jesus himself! Matthew tells us that “they approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.”
Homage is worship. The women, like others in Matthew’s Gospel – the wise men (2:12); the disciples (14:33) – recognize something beyond this world – something sacred and powerful – in Jesus. Encountering him raised from the dead and standing before them, they do what is most natural – them embrace and worship him. In our hearts and in our liturgy, we do the same thing on Easter – recognizing, embracing, and worshipping God made flesh, Jesus the crucified, Jesus the Risen Lord. Alleluia!
