Reflection for the 1st Sunday of Easter, Year C, by Rev. Fr. Matthew Attah
On Good Friday, we shouted, “Crucify him, Crucify him“, but on Easter Night, the Words on our Mouth was Anastasis – The Greek name for the resurrection, Jesus is Risen!
We remember in the Book of Genesis, God Created Man in his Image and Likeness but Man decided to betray God by Just a Singular act of Disobedience.
And God said, ” Man, you shall suffer and Toil the Earth before you eat”, he also looked at the serpent and said, “The Seed of this woman will Crush your head”. Here he referred to Jesus Christ but on Good Friday, the Serpent thought he had Crushed the head of the woman’s seed – Jesus, On Easter Night the Seed of that woman CRUSHED the Head of the Serpent and Rose from the Dead!
When Jesus said on the Cross, Tetelestai – ” It is Finished”(John 19:28-30), it was a sound of Victory which meant that the Mission of Satan is Over❕
Jonah was sent to the town of Nineveh to preach the Gospel but while attempting to escape, he spent THREE days in the belly of the fish(Jonah 1:2), Just as Jonah was buried in the belly of the Fish for three Days, Jesus was buried in the Heart of the Earth for three days, On the Third day, He Rose!
All these were signs of the Resurrection!
After the Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, you’ll notice that his disciples all abandoned him, from the point of the Condemnation of Jesus only John the beloved, Mary – Jesus’s Mother, the Women of Jerusalem and Mary Magdalene that followed Jesus up till the Crucifixion.
Mary Magdalene even followed him up till the tomb! Can you follow Jesus down to the Grave❓ And that’s the promise we made at our baptism, when plunged into the Water 3 times – to die with Christ, be buried with Christ so that we can resurrect with Him❗
The Bible records that Mary who wasn’t anticipating the Resurrection went on the first day of the week to the tomb and thought to herself,” Even if I’m not able to enter into the Tomb, at least I’ve come to see and annoint the body! But when she came close, she discovered the stone has been rolled away, She didn’t look thoroughly, the Greek name for that is called – “Blepor“, Rather she ran to call Peter and John the Beloved. John got there first but didn’t have the Mandate to enter unlike peter. The Vision he had of the Empty tomb is also called ‘Blepor‘ but when Peter entered, it was no longer ‘Blepor’, it’s called ‘Theorio‘ which translates to having a Critical or Careful Examination because Peter Inspected the Linen and the tomb..The body was Missing! But that was not enough to suspect the Resurrection, it was only when they both saw and believed, which translates to ‘Ahero’ in Greek meaning to Comprehend/Understand.
In the Gospel of John, Peter and John reportedly left the place but Mary Magdalene Stayed behind Still Confused because she couldn’t comprehend what has happened, then she saw someone who looked like the Gardner but was Christ himself and she asked,” Who are you Looking For❓”
Before Jesus Began his Ministry in the book of John 1:38, when he Came to the disciples of John the Baptist and asked,”Who are you Looking For❓Just as God asked Adam in the book of Genesis,”Man, Where are You❓
Jesus is Asking you in this Season of Easter, WHO ARE YOU LOOKING FOR❓Are you Looking for the Crucified Christ OR Jesus, who is the resurrection and the Life⁉
Just as we Celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus today, You too will resurrect ‼
May the Power of his Resurrection be made Manifest in our Lifes✝
Happy Easter to Y’all!!