As we celebrate the Resurrection of Our Crucified Savior, it is worth noting that we are tempted to project on to the history and mystery of this event our sinful premises.

Specifically, it should be noted that, while they did experience the earthquake that rolled the stone from the entrance of His tomb, contrary to popular iconography of this event, the guards stationed there did not see Jesus Himself gloriously leaving the tomb, but only the empty tomb.

Likewise, he did not appear to those who slanderously arranged for His crucifixion, but only to His disciples, who were overwhelmed with feelings of profound guilt, grief, confusion and discouragement.

This is going to be important for all of us to keep in mind over the coming months, as the consequences of unrepented human arrogance and sin are going to become ever more tangibly (and even traumatically) evident in our Church, our world and our personal lives.

The Resurrection of Jesus reveals to repentant believers the profound wisdom of His words, "Blessed are those who mourn, they will be comforted."

In Western society the deeper dimensions of the blessings, God offered to us through sanctifying contrition and grief are often obfuscated or trivialized. This was evident in the extremely small percentage of Catholics who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent. Many continue to trivialize their sins by seeking solace and salvation through the excuses and resentments spawned by secularism or addictions, rather than through the Holy Spirit's grace of life-giving repentance guided by a diligent accountability to the whole truth of God. They distort Church teaching so as to arrogantly proclaim the moral supremacy of their sin-seared consciences over the revealed truths of Our Faith.

Such souls may superficially celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, but often forget that ultimately all of us will be held accountable for all our sins before the Judgment Seat of God (cf. Matt 12:36).

The risen Christ only manifested Himself to those who mourned, who persevered in hungering and thirsting for righteousness even as they were assailed by temptations to discouragement, despondency and even cynicism.

As we celebrate His Resurrection, we must be vigilant in maintaining that purity of heart, whereby we can see Him as He truly is - the loving Master of our lives and not merely a mascot for our agendas.

De Colores,

Fr. Tom