Homily for The Solemnity of Easter Sunday, 20th April, 2025

 

Readings: Acts.10:34.37-43; Ps. 118; 2Cor 3:1-4; John 20:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

A ENCOUNTER WITH THE RISEN LORD

For over forty days, we have journeyed with our Lord Jesus; we listened to him speaking of his mission to redeem humanity. Like his first disciples, we experienced his love, healing and compassion; we believed in him even when we lacked the full knowledge of his mission.

On Ash Wednesday as customary, we put on ashes in penitent for our sins. We fasted and abstained from food and other things, and we did great charity work all these forty days. On Palm Sunday, we shouted Hosanna!! Hosanna!! Filio David, on Holy Thursday, we dine with the Lord, though with divided minds, as he told us about the betrayal and his passion. On Good Friday, Jesus was taken away from us; in our presence, he was judged and condemned, and we cried out, crucify him!! Crucify him!!, he was indeed crucified on account of our sins.

 In sorrows and agonies, we were scatted and hopelessly went back to Emmaus by our ugly ways of life. But for some like Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, we wondered in great silence on Holy Saturday, what must have happened to the mission of Christ, in fear and hope we waited patiently in all night vigil meditating on the words of God in search of an answer to the mystery of the salvation of humanity promised to us by Jesus.

Of which in the vigil we heard the voice of an angel singing: Exult!!, let them Exult!!, the host of heaven, Exult!!, let Angel ministers of God Exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our might King’s triumph! Be glad, let earth be glad, for the stone has been taken away from the tomb, our Lord has risen, Jesus is risen, and light has triumphed over darkness. What a glorious day, a day of victory, a day when the salvation of humanity is won, a day of personal encounter with the risen Lord.

Let us then celebrate the Lord’s victory. Let us like Mary Magdalene, like Peter and John in our Gospel passage today run towards the empty tomb with open hearts to encounter Christ, who had died and is risen in order to renew us, in order to remove from our hearts the guilt of sin and death, so that we can embrace his divine and eternal life.

Dear friends, this is the fundamental core of our Christian faith; this is the victory that transforms us and unites us with our Lord. Hence, if Jesus is risen, and is alive, who will ever be able to separate us from him? Who will ever be able to deprive us of the love of him, who has conquered hatred and overcomes death?

Therefore, I don't know what your experience of the Lord has been in this world; I don't know how you woke up today; I don't know what troubles your mind. But all I know is that today is another gift of God to humanity, a day of joy, a day of victory. A day when the Lord Jesus conquered sin and shame. A day he rose from the dead.

So, I am excited and hopeful and am going to live it with all joy, not trying to change things that I could not change or try to fix things that do not want to be fixed. I will not let the ugly situation in our world today or any ugly event of the past distract me today or steal my joy.

I will focus on the blessings that come with the joy of the risen Lord. I will follow the directives of the Lord, for his ways are right and the upright walk in them, but the transgressors stumble in them. Thus, let us proclaim the Easter victory and spread it throughout the world with the joyful song of Alleluia.

Friends, Christ has come to give us new life, a new life of grace, a new life of peace, a new life of hope, a new life of courage, a new life of joy and purity of heart. This is the fundamental principle of our Christian faith; this is the victory that transforms us and unites us with our Lord.

Hence, if Jesus is risen, and is alive, who will ever be able to separate us from him? Who will ever be able to deprive us of the love of him who has conquered hatred and overcome death by showing us the path of sacrificial love?

Yes, Jesus loves us with a deep and everlasting love. For today, he has paid all our debts to God; he supplies all our daily spiritual needs; he sympathizes with us in all our troubles; he bears with all our infirmities and will not reject us because of our weaknesses. He regards us as part of himself: We share in the glory that he has received from his Father.

These are the privileges of all true Christians who are called to the heavenly kingdom. So today, Jesus is teaching us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not just about ritual or ceremonious fasting or feasting. But it is about building a personal relationship with God, who loves us personally and unconditionally. God has offered us a new life of grace.

So, let us join the angels to sing a new song to God for his sacrificial love for us. Let us thank God for the grace of new life he is offering us today. Let us sing and say:

You are the source of our new life;

In your light we see light,

You show to us your goodness;

You bid us taste and see

We come to you; we bless you, Lord;

We glorify your name!

We praise you Lord; we worship you

We thank you for your gift of New Life.

(New Life! New Life, You came to bring us new life,

New life, New life, we find such Joy in your abundant Life.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, today, the victory of our salvation is won as we experience the Lord. May the joy of the risen Lord fill our hearts today and always. Happy Easter to you and your household.