There’s more to ‘the more’

“The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre on the Morning of the Resurrection” by Eugène Burnand, 1898. (commons.wikimedia.org)

Bishop Peter F. Christensen

Peter and John ran to the tomb on that first Easter morning. When John arrived at the place where Jesus’ body had been laid, he saw and believed. Until then, they did not yet understand the scripture “that he had to rise from the dead” (Jn 20:9).

The empty tomb was the sign they needed to begin their journeys of faith in the Resurrection, to believe it was true—death is not the final chapter of human life; it is not “the end” of the story. Instead, it is a new beginning that is radically different—a story of the defeat of death and a life that begins anew.

During the Last Supper, Jesus revealed to His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house. He told them He would “come back again to take you to myself, so that where I am, you also may be” (Jn 14:3). What the disciples witnessed that Easter morning was Jesus truly risen from the dead. What a glorious moment in the lives of all His disciples and for each one of us who also follow in His name.

At this very moment, while still at the empty tomb, the disciples began to understand, even more profoundly, that Jesus is, as He said was, the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6).

During the many appearances that followed His resurrection, Jesus brought clarity and comfort to His disciples. He did so by revealing there is more to life than what we commonly see or understand. Jesus would continue to show them the Way, the Truth and the Life by the guidance of His Holy Spirit. They would come to understand the Good News of salvation, which includes the truth that death will not be “the end.”

There will be more to “the more” in the story yet to come.

In an “already-but-not-yet” way, we, too, experience the rising of Jesus from the dead. It happens every time we are given a sense of unexpected hope rising within us, where defeat and despair would be the usual outcomes, “the more” we commonly expect. This hope is the power to rise above that which otherwise would lead us into captivity and defeat. We also experience the power of the Risen Lord every time we receive his Body and Blood in the Eucharist, where Jesus is truly present. At these times of receiving, we meet the same Christ who presented Himself to the disciples in the locked upper room. Jesus enters and speaks words of peace to us.

It also happens every time we experience forgiveness and healing in our lives. At these moments, we witness the rolling away of the stone that has trapped us in the darkness of a tomb of death. When the stone is moved aside and forgiveness is received, we see the light and goodness of life surrounding us. At these moments, we begin to see our true identity as sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. We understand then that we are surrounded by eternal love.

This Easter and the season that follows will be filled with moments when we can witness Jesus’ presence among us. He will guide us toward a deeper understanding that where He has gone, we will someday follow. Meanwhile, know that this is true, for it has already begun. Praised be Jesus Christ who is present among us. Life has not ended; it has just begun for all eternity.

Jesus Christ has Risen from the dead—just as He said He would! My brothers and sisters know there is so much more yet to come!

Happy

Easter!