Easter is the most joyful day of the year because “the prince of life, who died, now reigns immortal.” Christ is risen! He has burst open the gates of hell and let the dead go free; he has renewed the earth through the members of his Church now born again in baptism, and has made it blossom afresh with men brought back to life. His Holy Spirit has unlocked the doors of heaven, which stand wide open to receive those who rise up from the earth. Because of Christ’s resurrection the thief ascends to paradise, the bodies of the blessed enter the holy city, and the dead are restored to the company of the living.
There is a fundamental question we all need to ask ourselves today. What grounds have we for believing in the resurrection? The resurrection of Jesus is the supreme truth of our Christian faith. Without it there wouldn’t have been any Church, and our faith would have been in vain. CHRIST IS RISEN becomes the basis, the essence of the preaching of the apostles. In the first reading, we see Peter who went to the house of the Roman Centurion to preach the risen Christ as the judge of the living and the dead. All who believe in him will have their sins forgiving. In the second reading, St. Paul also preached about the risen Christ and admonished the people of Colossians to seek the things of heaven rather than the things that belongs to this earth. We must live, not by the standard of this world but models ourselves on Christ.
Whereas in the Gospel reading, we see the first missionary of the resurrection, Mary Magdalene telling Peter and the other apostles: “Christ is risen. St. Paul also tells us about the misfortunes that would have befallen Christians if Christ had not risen from the dead: i. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless without substance, and so is your faith (1Cor 15:14) ii. If Christ has not been raised, what is more, we would have become false witnesses (1Cor 15:17a). iii. And if Christ has not been raised, there will not be forgiveness and remission of sins (1Cor 15:17b). iv. If Christ has not been raised, we would have been a pitiable people (1Cor 15:19).
The resurrection is a powerful testimony to the truth that for believers, the pains and agonies of the moment shall pass away. At Easter, therefore, the Christian can look intently at the Cross of Christ, and at the momentary crosses of his or her own life, and say courageously, with faith and hope: “This too shall pass away!” Today the Christian who is sick can look intently at the risen Lord and at his or her sickness and say with faith: “This too shall pass away!”. Christian suffering from loneliness, rejection, persecution and abandonment can look intently at the risen Lord and at his or her embarrassment can say with confidence: “This too shall pass away!” The poor Christian, the unemployed Christian, the Christians experiencing failure in business and social life can look intently at the risen Lord and at his or her ugly situation and say with lively hope: “This too shall pass away!” The resurrection is the greatest of all miracles of God.
Easter is, therefore, a time for Christians to expect miracles. Let me draw your attention to the cry of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary on Good Friday. There is no cry of pain and anguish as loud as that of Jesus on the cross. He said: “My God My God why have you forsaken me.” If God did not abandon his Son but glorified him by raising him up on the third day. Do you think that Jesus will now abandon us in our moment of trials and tribulations? The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a period of hope and deliverance for the downtrodden. With the resurrection of Jesus Christ, hope has been restored for humanity and for our country. Thus, Christians in Nigeria should not be in despair, if they comprehend the cross. They should be the heralds of hope.
They are to announce to the hopeless world and hopeless country that the Redeemer lives. Christians must tell the truth to the discouraged and despairing people of Nigeria, that Christ the prince of peace has conquered death and the evil we are experiencing in this country will not reign for too long. The good news must be announced to the men and women of this country that these tribulations we are facing in this country will pass away very shortly, and like the hero of the Resurrection, the poor Christians who persevere in faith today shall have the last laugh. Let us remember that by death, Christ conquer death and grant– eternal life to each and every one of us. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ brings hope to you and I that no matter what we pass through in this life there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
