Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 8, 2023
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
And behold, there was a great earthquake;
for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven,
approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.
His appearance was like lightning
and his clothing was white as snow.
The guards were shaken with fear of him
and became like dead men.
Then the angel said to the women in reply,
“Do not be afraid!
I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified.
He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.
Come and see the place where he lay.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples,
‘He has been raised from the dead,
and he is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him.’
Behold, I have told you.”
Then they went away quickly from the tomb,
fearful yet overjoyed,
and ran to announce this to his disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.
They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid.
Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,
and there they will see me.”
While this passage is clearly about the resurrection of Jesus, to me, it is also a profound discourse on courage. Two women, who had just witnessed the violent death of someone they loved, dared to come to his tomb to perform the custom of anointing the dead.
Both the angel of the Lord and Jesus say to the women, “Do not be afraid!” But how could these women be anything but terrified after what they had witnessed over the last few days? After their initial shock, Jesus directs them to share his incredible news.
Today’s revelation of the resurrection is more potent because of who Jesus and the angel chose to address first. Women were not allowed to testify in the courts at this time since they were not seen as reliable witnesses. Jesus revealed his most spectacular miracle, not to Apostles, politicians or influencers, but to individuals without much agency, yet with tremendous courage.
My husband (Michael “Q” Michaux ’86) recently died from stomach cancer and this gospel passage hits me differently now After 33 years of having him by my side, I must push through my fear of charting the future and leading our family without him. Some days, I question God’s plan, but then I think about the courage of the women who set off to attend to Jesus and keep moving forward.
This passage exalts the unexpected heroes. Courageous followers who were as surprised as anyone at their new roles. This passage calls us all to support those in need, even if our environment tells us we are not worthy, appropriate, or the right person for the job. My late husband always said, “You know the right thing to do. You know it’s hard. You do it anyway.” His advice can be difficult to follow, but if we listen to our hearts and follow God’s plan, Jesus will meet us on the path.
Prayer
Almighty God of surprises, your plans and actions exceed not only our expectations, but also our imagination. Help us to remember not to seek the living among the dead. Open our eyes to notice experiences of darkness transformed into light, death to new life. As Mary, Joanna, and Mary were harbingers of joy and salvation, help us to be the same, through Christ our Risen Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Today, the Church recalls Jesus' suffering and death and waits in hope to celebrate the resurrection, by which we receive new and abundant life.
The reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus holds relics from the tomb of Jesus.
Like yesterday, no sacraments are celebrated today (until the Easter Vigil) because we recall Jesus’ entombment in death. This day is the quietest moment of the Church year—there are no liturgical services today as we wait outside of the tomb.
The icon to the left is from Cora Church in Istanbul. This famous icon depicts Christ's harrowing of Hell, as he pulls our first parents, Adam and Eve, out of their caskets and ushers them into the Resurrection.
Holy Saturday commemorates Christ's death—Christ's entry into the deepest pain of our existence, into the shades of Hades, where no one can praise God. Christ enters into the deepest, darkest places of the human experience—places where the human being can separate herself from God. But Christ the Bridegroom enters into the darkness of hell, into our own Calvary of pain or loss, and brings us to the joy of Easter.
An ancient sermon for Holy Saturday paints this beautiful image of Christ coming to awake these sleeping souls, Christ as a lover who urges us to leave hell and rise with him to heaven:
Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead.
Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image.
Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.
For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave;
I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth.
As we wait in quiet today for the joy of the Resurrection tomorrow, let us remember that Christ loves us so deeply, he will descend to the darkest reaches of the universe to bring us back to him.
On this Holy Saturday, let us wait near the tomb of Jesus, hopeful for the resurrection!
Image Credit: Our featured image of the harrowing of hell on Good Saturday is in the public domain. Last accessed February 13, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
