The gospel reading for mass today seems a little strange because it is about Christ’s resurrection on Easter morning. We are still in the Christmas Octave, so why is the church remembering Easter? One of the reasons is because today is the feast of Saint John the Apostle, but why today of all days? Couldn’t they put his feast day off until the Easter season?
The reason we have the gospel reading about Christ’s resurrection from the dead on Easter morning, is because we would not be celebrating Christmas, without Easter. Without Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, his birth would have no meaning. Actually, that is why Easter is the biggest and most important celebration in the Catholic church, instead of Christmas. Secular society loves to celebrate Christmas, with the giving and receiving of gifts, the special Christmas programs and parties, and gatherings with family and friends for a nice meal. The thought of celebrating a sweet little baby’s birth is warm and cozy. Celebrating Christ’s agonizing death on the cross is a much harder thing to do though.
Christ’s resurrection from the dead is the most important event in human history. It was so important that throughout the ages, mankind preserved the account of his death and resurrection, because aside from all the other miracles Christ performed, no one has ever returned from the dead after three days in a grave. This alone is a remarkable thing and aside from other considerations, it must be true because why else has this story been so carefully preserved?
Jesus promised his disciples he would rise from the dead after three days and he kept his promise. This means that he will keep his promise of eternal life for all who believe in him and die in his friendship. This is why his death is the most important event that has ever occurred on earth. Jesus promised us eternal life and proved that there really is life after death. Death does not have the last say, he does.
God also kept His promise. God promised many generations of His people that a messiah would come for them. A baby would be born to a virgin, from the house of David and that is exactly what happened. God keeps His promises and Jesus keeps his promises too. Even though we did not witness the empty tomb, like the apostle Saint John did in today’s gospel, we believe that it occurred because of his words. The first reading today also gives a profoundly personal testimony to the genuine occurrences that Christ’s disciples witnessed.
We are only into the fourth day of the Christmas octave and the celebrations in our church continue for four more days, until January 1st, on the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of Jesus (a holy day of obligation, by the way). Let us continue to rejoice and celebrate Christ’s birth until then. There’s no need let our joy recede just yet. Christmas is not over until we celebrate and honor Mary too, as the mother of baby Jesus. Let us strive to keep our Christmas joy alive for just a little while longer.
