“They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him”

Despite all that Jesus had done and everything he had told his friends and followers to expect, Mary of Magdala did not understand the significance of the empty tomb.  Mary, unlike the disciples hiding behind closed doors, summoned up the courage to go to the tomb being guarded by Roman soldiers. When she reported what she observed to the disciples, Peter and John rushed to the tomb to confirm what Mary said, but they “did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.”  Eventually Jesus appears to his disciples in a variety of ways. They come to believe that he is the Risen Lord, the Messiah. They begin to reflect on everything he did and all that he taught them.  They took responsibility for growing in their faith and communicating their faith in Jesus to others by word and example.  At Easter we renew our Baptismal promises.  We recommit ourselves to learn our faith and to imitate Jesus by what we say and do.  That is why Easter is such a joyous celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.