Posted on 04/04/2026 10:14:13 PM PDT by fidelis
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” John 20:1–2
Have you ever misunderstood something, even when your intentions were good? We all experience moments when we act with love but still get things wrong. Even our good actions are rarely perfect.
On that first Easter morning, before the sun rose, Mary Magdalene offers an example of this. She got some things right—her love and devotion to Jesus were sincere—but she did not yet understand the full reality of what she witnessed. Though the other Gospels mention other women at the tomb, John highlights Mary. Saint Augustine suggests that this is because she was “undoubtedly the most fervent in love” with Christ.
When Mary Magdalene saw the stone rolled away, her love compelled her to act immediately. Saint John Chrysostom says she “ran to the disciples with all the speed of love.” Her fervor drove her to tell Simon Peter and John what she had seen, showing us how love urges us to seek God without delay.
Despite her deep love, Mary misunderstood the meaning of the empty tomb. Her emotional response—“They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him”—reveals her struggle to grasp the mystery unfolding before her. Like many of us, she was driven by emotion rather than a deeper trust in God.
Jesus was certainly not displeased with her misunderstanding, as Scripture identifies her in John 20:11–17 as the first to whom He appeared. When she encountered the risen Christ, she initially mistook Him for the gardener, indicating that her understanding of the Resurrection was still unfolding. Despite that, Jesus met her where she was and guided her toward deeper faith. This reminds us that our emotions, though good, must be purified by faith, allowing love to mature into greater trust and understanding.
Reflect today on Mary Magdalene’s experience on Easter morning. Like her, we are called to seek our Lord with fervor, even when our understanding is incomplete. And like her, we can trust that Jesus will meet us where we are, gently leading us into deeper faith. As we celebrate the Resurrection, pray that your love, with all its emotions, may be more fully purified by grace, so that you, too, will encounter Christ with renewed understanding and joy.
My resurrected Lord, I love You deeply but acknowledge that my love must be further purified by faith so that I will understand You and Your will more clearly. As I grow in understanding of the many divine mysteries You reveal to me, help my love to grow so that I may more perfectly imitate the pure love You desire of me. Jesus, I trust in You.
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The Month of April is Dedicated to Devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist
“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28)
Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of April, 2026:
For priests in crisis
Let us pray for priests going through moments of crisis in their vocation, that they may find the accompaniment they need and that communities may support them with understanding and prayer.
Today’s First Reading
From: Acts 10:34-38
Peter's Address
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[34a] And Peter opened his mouth and said: [37] [You know] the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: [38] how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. [39] And we are witnesses to all that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree; [40] but God raised Him on the third day and made Him manifest; [41] not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. [42] And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that He is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. [43] To Him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."
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Commentary:
34-43. Peter's short address is his first to non-Jews. It begins with the central idea that God is impartial: he wants all men to be saved through the proclamation of the Gospel (vv. 34-36). This is followed by a summary of Jesus' public life (vv. 37-41) and, finally, the statement (the first time it appears in Acts) that Jesus Christ has been made Judge of the living and the dead (v. 42). As in all Christian preaching to Gentiles, proofs from Scripture take a secondary place (v. 43).
34. This verse refers to 1 Samuel 16:7, where the Lord, in connection with the anointing of David as king of Israel, tells the prophet, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." When God calls and offers salvation to his elect, he does not judge as men do. With him distinctions regarding social class, race, sex or education do not count.
Here St Peter proclaims that the Old Testament prophecies about the Jews and the Gentiles forming one single nation (Is 2:2-4; Joel 2:28; Amos 9:12; Mich 4:1) and Jesus' words calling everyone to enter his Kingdom (cf. Mt 8:11; Mk 16:15-16; Jn 10:16) should be interpreted literally.
40. Peter's summary of the Gospel of Jesus (verses 37-41) reaches its climax with his statement that "God raised Him on the third day." This had become the usual way of referring to our Lord's resurrection (cf.1 Corinthians 15:4); see note on Acts 4:10.
42. This verse refers to Christ's role as Judge: He has been made supreme Judge over all mankind and will deliver His judgment at His second coming (Parousia). "The Sacred Scriptures inform us that there are two comings of the Son of God: the one when He assumed human flesh for our salvation in the womb of a virgin; the other when He shall come at the end of the world to judge all mankind" ("St. Pius V Catechism", I, 8, 2).
Christ's coming as Judge means that men will appear before Him twice, to render an account of their lives--of their thoughts, words, deeds and omissions. The first judgment will take place "when each of us departs this life; for then He is instantly placed before the judgment-seat of God, where all that he has ever done or spoken or thought during his life shall be subjected to the most rigid scrutiny. This is called the Particular Judgment. The second occurs when on the same day and in the same place all men shall stand together before the tribunal of their Judge [...], and this is called the General Judgment" ("Ibid.", I, 8, 3).
From: Colossians 3:1-4
Seek the Things That Are Above
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[1] If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Avoid Sin
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[2] Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. [3] For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. [4] When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
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Commentary:
1-4. The more ethical and exhortatory part of the letter begins at this point. It is a practical application of the teaching given in the earlier chapters, designed to suit the circumstances that have arisen in the Colossian church.
By His death and resurrection the Son of God frees us from the power of Satan and of death. "By Baptism men are grafted into the paschal mystery of Christ; they die with him, are buried with Him, and rise with Him" (Vatican II, "Sacrosanctum Concilium", 6). In other words, Christians have been raised to a new kind of life, a supernatural life, whereby they share, even while on earth, in the glorious life of the risen Jesus. This life is at present spiritual and hidden, but when our Lord comes again in glory, it will become manifest and glorious.
Two practical consequences flow from this teaching--the need to seek the "things that are above", that is, the things of God; and the need to pass unnoticed in one's everyday work and ordinary life, yet to do everything with a supernatural purpose in mind.
As regards the first of these the Second Vatican Council has said: "In their pilgrimage to the Heavenly city Christians are to seek and relish the things that are above (cf. Colossians 3:1-2): this involves not a lesser, but a greater commitment to working with all men to build a world that is more human" ("Gaudium Et Spes", 57). Work, family relationships, social involvements--every aspect of human affairs-- should be approached in a spirit of faith and done perfectly, out of love: "The true Christian, who acts according to this faith", Monsignor Escriva comments, "always has his sights set on God. His outlook is supernatural. He works in this world of ours, which he loves passionately; he is involved in all its challenges, but all the while his eyes are fixed on Heaven" ("Friends of God", 206).
Ordinary life, everyday interests, the desire to be better and to serve others without seeking public recognition of one's merits--all this makes for holiness if done for love of God. A simple life "hid with Christ in God" (verse 3) is so important that Jesus Himself chose to spend the greater part of His life on earth living like an ordinary person: He was the son of a tradesman. "As we meditate on these truths, we come to understand better the logic of God. We come to realize that the supernatural value of our life does not depend on accomplishing great undertakings suggested to us by our over-active imagination. Rather it is to be found in the faithful acceptance of God's will, in welcoming generously the opportunities for small, daily sacrifice" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 172).
This means that those who try to seek holiness by imitating Jesus in His hidden life will be people full of hope; they will be optimistic and happy people; and after their death they will share in the glory of the Lord: they will hear Jesus' praise, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your Master" (Matthew 25:21).
On the value of the hidden life, see the note on Luke 2:51.
Or:
From: 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8
Punishment of the Sinner
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[6b] Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? [7] Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed. [8] Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
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Commentary:
5:1-6:20. These chapters cover the same general subject: after taking the Corinthians to task for their disunity (a sin which is the cause of other evils), and before replying to questions they themselves have raised (chaps. 7ff), St Paul deals with two matters which are inhibiting the Christian life of that community--sins of unchastity, and recourse to pagan courts.
He begins with the case of incest and the punishment of the man in question (5:1-8), and uses this incident to tell the Corinthians how obstinate sinners should be treated: they should be excluded from the Christian community (5:9-13).
The other matters--sins of impurity and recourse to pagan courts-- provide him with an opportunity to give more general practical advice in an elevated tone: firstly, he deals with lawsuits between Christians and how disputes should be solved (6:1-8); human injustice leads him, by association, to describe those sins which prevent people from inheriting the Kingdom of heaven (6:9-11). And then, in a lyrical passage, he extols the dignity of the human body and the need to keep it for God: this is a beautiful hymn in praise of the virtue of holy purity (6:12-20).
6. Jesus used the example of leaven in dough to describe the growth of goodness (cf. Mt 13:31-33 and par.) and also of evil (cf. Mk 8:15-16 and par.): in both cases a small amount can produce a very large result. Here St Paul uses the simile to show the Corinthians the harm the incestuous man's behavior can do to the whole community through the bad example and scandal he gives and also through others' consenting to his sin and not doing what they can to get him to reform (cf. St Thomas, "Commentary on 1 Cor, ad loc.").
St Paul draws attention to the gravity of the sin of scandal--"anything said, done or omitted which leads another to commit sins" ("St Pius X Catechism", 417): "For, all other sins, no matter how grave they be, do injury only to the person who commits them; but this sin harms those others whom it steers off God's path. How can satisfaction be made for this injury, which involves killing a soul whom Christ has bought with his blood? For if gold is what gold is worth, the blood of Christ is what cost blood. Whence it follows that, if these people be condemned, not only will they undergo punishment for their faults but also for the faults of those whom they led into evil. Therefore, every Christian realizes how justly Christ spoke when he said (Mt 18:7), "Woe to the world for temptations to sin" (Fray Luis de Granada, "Sermon on Public Sins").
7-8. The Apostle is here using examples taken from the Jewish celebration of the Passover and the Azymes, to draw spiritual lessons for the Corinthians. The Passover was the principal Jewish feast, and its central rite the eating of the passover lamb. At the passover meal, as also on the seven days following, which were also feast-days, the eating of leavened bread was forbidden, which was why they were described as the days of the Azymes ("a-zyme" = without leaven). Thus, in the Book of Exodus God laid it down that during these days no leaven should be kept in Jewish homes (cf. Ex 12:15, 19).
Jesus Christ, our Passover, our paschal lamb, "has been sacrificed". The paschal lamb was a promise and prefigurement of the true Lamb, Jesus Christ (cf. Jn 1:29), who was the victim of the sacrifice on Calvary, offered on behalf of all mankind: "He is the true lamb who took away the sins of the world; by dying he destroyed our death; by rising he restored our life" ("Roman Missal", first Easter Preface). The perennial value of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross (cf. Heb 10:14), renewed every time Mass is said, means that Christians are always celebrating a festival. Therefore, the Apostle concludes, Christians should eliminate from community life and personal life—the old leaven, which in the context of the festival symbolizes impurity and sinfulness; and they should always live a genuinely Christian life, with azymes, the symbol of cleanness and purity, "of sincerity and truth".
"The present time is, then, a festival day,' St John Chrysostom comments, "for when he says 'let us celebrate the festival', Paul does not add: 'for Passover or Pentecost is imminent.' No, he is pointing out that all this life is a festival for Christians by virtue of the ineffable benefits they have received. Indeed, Christians, what wonders have you not received from God? For your sakes Jesus Christ has become man; he has freed you from eternal damnation, to call you to take possession of his kingdom. With this thought in mind, how can you not be in continuous festival right through your life on earth? Poverty, sickness or the persecution which oppresses us--these should not discourage us: this present life, the Apostle tells us, is a life of rejoicing" ("Hom. on 1 Cor, ad loc.").
From: John 20:1-9
The Empty Tomb
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[1] Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. [2] So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." [3] Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. [4] They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; [5] and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. [6] Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, [7] and the napkin, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. [8] Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; [9] for as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead.
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Commentary:
1-2. All four Gospels report the first testimonies of the holy women and the disciples regarding Christ's glorious resurrection, beginning with the fact of the empty tomb (cf. Matthew 28:1-15; Mark 16:1ff; Luke 24:1-12) and then telling of the various appearances of the risen Jesus.
Mary Magdalene was one of the women who provided for our Lord during His journeys (Luke 8:1-3); along with the Virgin Mary she bravely stayed with Him right up to His final moments (John 19:25), and she saw where His body was laid (Luke 23:55). Now, after the obligatory Sabbath rest, she goes to visit the tomb. The Gospel points out that she went "early, when it was still dark": her love and veneration led her to go without delay, to be with our Lord's body.
4. The Fourth Gospel makes it clear that, although the women, and specifically Mary Magdalene, were the first to reach the tomb, the Apostles were the first to enter it and see the evidence that Christ had risen (the empty tomb, the linen clothes "lying" and the napkin in a place by itself). Bearing witness to this will be an essential factor in the mission which Christ will entrust to them: "You shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem...and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8; cf. Acts 2:32).
John, who reached the tomb first (perhaps because he was the younger), did not go in, out of deference to Peter. This is an indication that Peter was already regarded as leader of the Apostles.
5-7. The words the Evangelist uses to describe what Peter and he saw in the empty tomb convey with vivid realism the impression it made on them, etching on their memory details which at first sight seem irrelevant. The whole scene inside the tomb in some way caused them to intuit that the Lord had risen. Some of the words contained in the account need further explanation, so terse is the translation.
"The linen clothes lying there": the Greek participle translated as "lying there" seems to indicate that the clothes were flattened, deflated, as if they were emptied when the body of Jesus rose and disappeared--as if it had come out of the clothes and bandages without their being unrolled, passing right through them (just as later He entered the Cenacle when the doors were shut). This would explain the clothes being "fallen", "flat" "lying", which is how the Greek literally translates, after Jesus' body--which had filled them--left them. One can readily understand how this would amaze a witness, how unforgettable the scene would be.
"The napkin...rolled up in a place by itself": the first point to note is that the napkin, which had been wrapped round the head, was not on top of the clothes, but placed on one side. The second, even more surprising thing is that, like the clothes, it was still rolled up but, unlike the clothes, it still had a certain volume, like a container, possibly due to the stiffness given it by the ointments: this is what the Greek participle, here translated as "rolled", seems to indicate.
From these details concerning the empty tomb one deduces that Jesus' body must have risen in a heavenly manner, that is, in a way which transcended the laws of nature. It was not only a matter of the body being reanimated as happened, for example, in the case of Lazarus, who had to be unbound before he could walk (cf. John 11:44).
8-10. As Mary Magdalene had told them, the Lord was not in the tomb; but the two Apostles realized that there was no question of any robbery, which was what she thought had happened, because they saw the special way the clothes and napkin were; they know began to understand what the Master had so often told them about His death and resurrection (cf. Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; etc....)
The empty tomb and the other facts were perceptible to the senses; but the resurrection, even though it had effects that could be tested by experience, requires faith if it is to be accepted. Christ's resurrection is a real, historic fact: His body and soul were re-united. But since His was a glorious resurrection unlike Lazarus', far beyond our capacity in this life to understand what happened, and outside the scope of sense experience, a special gift of God is required--the gift of faith—to know and accept as a certainty this fact which, while it is historical, is also supernatural. Therefore, St. Thomas Aquinas can say that "the individual arguments taken alone are not sufficient proof of Christ's resurrection, but taken together, in a cumulative way, they manifest it perfectly. Particularly important in this regard are the spiritual proofs (cf. specially Luke 24:25-27), the angelic testimony (cf. Luke 24:4-7) and Christ's own post-resurrection word confirmed by miracles (cf. John 3:13; Matthew 16:21; 17:22; 20:18)" (St. Thomas Aquinas, "Summa Theologiae", III, q. 55, a. 6 ad 1).
In addition to Christ's predictions about His passion, death and resurrection (cf. John 2:19; Matthew 16:21; Mark 9:31; Luke 9:22), the Old Testament also foretells the glorious victory of the Messiah and, in some way, His resurrection (cf. Psalm 16:9; Isaiah 52:13; Hosea 6:2). The Apostles begin to grasp the true meaning of Sacred Scripture after the resurrection, particularly once they receive the Holy Spirit, who fully enlightens their minds to understand the content of the Word of God. It is easy to imagine the surprise and elation they all feel when Peter and John tell them what they have seen in the tomb.
A Blessed and joyous Easter to all! He has Risen! Indeed, he has Risen!
1 Corinthians 15:12-13, 20-23
Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised...But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
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