They Did Not Yet Understand the Scripture: Reflections on the Readings for the Resurrection of the Lord, Mass of Easter Day

Acts 10:34a. 37-43
Psalm 118
Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8
Sequence: Praise the Paschal Victim
John 20:1-9

ALLELUIA, HE IS RISEN!

Despite spending three years with Our Lord, listening to all of His lessons, observing His many miracles and signs, and even participating in some of them, there was much that the Apostles and disciples neither grasped nor understood. After His arrest they scattered and only one observed His crucifixion. They did not understand that this was not the end, but the beginning.

The speech of St. Peter in the first reading marks the conversion of the first Gentile to Christ. Many think that St. Paul, who was called the “Apostle to the Gentiles” would have been the first to convert a Gentile, but it was actually Peter.

Cornelius, a centurion, who gave alms generously to the Jewish people, and prayed to God, received an angelic vision, telling him his prayers had been heard, and he was to summon Peter who was in Joppa at that time. Three men went to Joppa and, finding Peter, told him, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, respected by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear what you have to say.” (Acts 10:22).

Peter accompanied them to Caesarea where he entered Cornelius’ house. Cornelius fell at his feet to pay him homage at which Peter said for him to rise as Peter, too, was merely a human being. Peter noticed that there were many people there, relatives and close friends of Cornelius. Peter noted that while Jewish law forbade close relations with Gentiles, “God has shown me that I should not call any person profane or unclean.” After Cornelius explained the circumstances, Peter realizes that “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.” Why this statement was left out of the reading selection is a mystery as it emphasizes that God’s call, through Jesus, was to the whole world (see John 3:16ff).

Recognizing the presence of the Holy Spirit, Peter, after this speech, baptized Cornelius, his whole family, and all the (Gentiles) who were present, opening to them the “forgiveness of sins through His [Jesus’] name.”

Psalm 118 is one of the “Hallel” or praise psalms often recited during Passover. It is believed that this is one of the psalms (hymns) referred to during the Last Supper narratives. “Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” (Matthew 26:30, Mark 14:26) “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good for His mercy endures forever.” Recall the vision of St. Stephen as he was being stoned.  “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” As the psalm notes, “the right hand of the LORD is exalted ... The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” The rejected stone has been exalted in Jesus’ Resurrection. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.”

The reading from Colossians echoes Jesus’ teachings against worldliness. “But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” (Matthew 6:20-21) Letters of John and James also reiterated this teaching. Remember, Jesus called us out of the world (John 15:19). We may experience trials and challenges (and hatred) when we turn our backs to the world, but, as St. Peter tells us, “In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7) Thus we shall join Christ in His glory.

The alternate second reading, from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, refers to the renewal of everything with the sacrifice of Jesus, our Paschal Lamb. We must clear out the old leaven that has influenced the world and leads it into perdition (the wide path) and work to renew the world “with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” This is cause for celebration and a call for us to make God’s message known.

The sequence calls for us to ‘Praise the Paschal Victim,” the Lamb who “reconciles sinners to the Father.” It is a testament to the victory of Christ, the ever-reigning King.

The selection from the gospel of John directly addresses the Resurrection and the lack of understanding of Jesus’ followers about it. In Mark’s and Luke’s account the women had gone to the tomb with the spices they had prepared to anoint the body of Our Lord. They clearly expected to find a dead body. Recall, however, in Matthew’s account, that the chief priests and pharisees placed a guard on the tomb as they wanted to prevent the body being stolen which could be claimed as a resurrection. The Lord’s enemies believed what He had said about “rebuilding the Temple” (of His body) and tried to guard against it while His friends and followers were the skeptics.

Finding an empty tomb, the women ran to tell Peter who was together with John (“the disciple whom Jesus loved”). Shocked they ran to the tomb and John, being the younger outpaced Peter and got there first. In deference to Peter he did not go in until Peter arrived. Upon inspection of the tomb they found the burial cloth as well as the head cloth, which was rolled up separately. If someone were going to steal the body they would have grabbed it, and taken it away, cloths and all. Their presence and the attention to them indicated something else. At this point we are told (by John who was there) that he (John) “saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.”

If we read on we learn that Mary Magdala stayed by the tomb and Jesus appeared to her, telling her “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (John 20:17) This is important for it is after Jesus’ Ascension that the Holy Spirit will be sent, completing their understanding of all He had taught and which they were just beginning to see.

“Scripture tells us that many of the most important things Jesus said were understood by His disciples only after the Resurrection or after Pentecost.” (Kwasniewski, Peter. Turned Around: Replying to Common Objections Against the Traditional Latin Mass.)

Bishop Sheen notes that there are eleven recorded appearances of Our Risen Lord in the gospels, of which this is the first. “To the honor of womanhood it must forever be said: A woman was closest to the Cross on Good Friday, and first at the tomb on Easter Morn.” (Fulton Sheen, Life of Christ.)

“The men had grasped the significance of the empty tomb, but not its relation to Redemption and victory over sin and evil.” (Life of Christ.) Sadly, too many today still do not understand that Jesus beat the devil and do not take advantage of the Redemption He gave us.

“Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk 1:15)