Month: April 2026

After Jesus rises from the dead, He appears to more than 500 men and women. He remains on earth for 40 days before returning to the Father. (1 Corinthians 15:6)

The first person to see the Risen Jesus is Mary Magdalene. She arrives at His tomb early on Sunday morning, after the Sabbath has ended; and to her surprise and dismay finds the stone removed and the tomb empty. She runs to get Peter and John; and together they return to the tomb.

Peter and John enter the tomb, find Jesus’ burial cloths, and immediately believe. But Mary Magdalene remains outside the tomb, crying. After Peter and John leave, Mary turns around and sees Jesus standing there. At first, she mistakes Him for a gardener. But when Jesus speaks, Mary immediately recognizes His voice and embraces Him! (John 20: 1-18) As John writes earlier in his Gospel, the Good Shepherd knows His sheep and calls them by name; and His sheep know His gentle voice. (John 10: 1-5)

Mary holds on to Jesus so tightly that He has to tell her to let go of Him! We can all imagine not wanting to let go of Jesus.

Another account of the Risen Jesus appearing to His disciples is recorded in the Gospel of Luke. Two disciples are making their way to a village called Emmaus, which lies about seven miles outside of Jerusalem. The Gospel identifies only one of the disciples — Cleopas, or Clopas, the younger brother of St. Joseph. Some scholars surmise that the other disciple is Mary, the wife of Clopas. Among other things, this explains why “Mary, the wife of Clopas,” was standing by Jesus’ own Mother Mary, at the foot of the cross. She was trying to comfort her sister-in-law. (John 19: 25)

As the two walk, they are discussing everything that has happened – the trial of Jesus, His crucifixion, and His purported resurrection. Suddenly, Jesus shows up alongside them:

“That very day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all that happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.

“And He [Jesus] said to them: ‘What is this conversation which you are holding with each other.’ And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas answered Him, ‘Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’

“And He [Jesus] said to them, ‘What things?’

“And they said to Him [Jesus], ‘Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we had hoped He was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find His body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb; and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.’

“And He [Jesus] said to them, ‘O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

“So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He [Jesus] appeared to be going further, but they constrained Him saying, ‘Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.’ So He went in to stay with them. When He was at table with them, He took the bread and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished out of their sight.

“They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while He [Jesus] talked to us on the road, while He opened us to the Scriptures?’ And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and the found the Eleven gathered together and those who were with them, who said, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon [Peter]!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of the bread.” Luke 24: 13-35

Once again, we can imagine the great joy of Clopas and his wife, Mary, when they recognize Jesus at their dinner table — blessing, breaking and offering them bread. Jesus is indeed “the Bread of Life … the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.” (John 6: 48, 51) Through this gentle and merciful act, Jesus assures His disciples — and all of us — that our spiritual communion with Him is the bread of life that will sustain us here on earth.

These stories reveal that Jesus takes great care with His disciples, patiently resolving various mysteries when each disciple is ready to receive Him.

The depth of Jesus’ Love and Mercy is a wondrous thing to contemplate.

Jesus is still alive.

God is still here among us.

Jesus is here right now, beside you and me, calling us to move forward with Him into the greater fullness of God’s Love.

All four Gospels recount the miraculous and merciful Resurrection of Jesus. The Gospel of John records the events of that morning as follows:

“Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.’

“Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first, and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

“Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.

“Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the Scripture that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.

“They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’

“She said to them, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.’

“Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?’

“Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’

“She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rab-boni!’ (which means Teacher)

“Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’

“Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord;’ and she told them what He had said to her.'” John 20: 1-18

Can you imagine the scene? Can you imagine the joy and wonder Mary Magdalene feels when she hears the voice of her friend and recognizes the Risen Christ?!

Following His Resurrection, Jesus walked the earth for 40 days and appeared to more than 500 men and women, before He returned to the Father. (1 Corinthians 15: 6) Jesus knew how hard it would be for His disciples – and for all of us – to understand all that had happened throughout His life, trial, crucifixion and resurrection. Always the patient teacher, Jesus took extra care to help His early disciples and followers to understand.

Still today, Jesus patiently reveals different pieces of the mystery of His life, death, and resurrection to each of us, as we are ready and willing to make time for Him. He wants to help us to understand the depth of God’s Love.

Jesus is Risen and with us still today!

Listen for the sound of His Voice on your hearts, as He offers all of us a share in His eternal life and love.

He loves you deeply.

Happy Easter, dear readers!

Jesus was crucified at Noon on a Friday, the day of weekly preparation for the Sabbath, and during Passover week. (John 19: 44)

The Gospel of John reveals that standing at the foot of the Cross were Jesus’ mother, Mary; Mary, the wife of Clopas; and Mary Magdalene. John, who was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, was also at the foot of the Cross. (John 19: 25-27)

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke reveal that a group of women who had followed Jesus from Galilee stood at a distance from the Cross and observed all that happened. (Matthew 27: 55, Mark 15: 41, Luke 23: 49)

Jesus died at 3 p.m., the hour of great Mercy for the world. (John 19: 44)

The Gospels indicate that our world shuddered when Jesus’ Spirit and Light departed. For some time, the land was covered in darkness:

From the Gospel of Matthew: “And behold, the curtain of the temple was town in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split.” (Matthew 27: 51)

From the Gospel of Mark: “And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” (Mark 15: 38)

From the Gospel of Luke: “There was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” (Luke 23: 44-45)

From the Gospel of John: “The sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” (John 19: 45)

After Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy man who was secretly a disciple of Jesus, asked Pilate if he could take away the body of Jesus for burial. Pilate agreed; so Joseph, along with Nicodemus, who had also first come to Jesus secretly as a disciple, prepared Jesus’ body and buried Him in a new tomb.

And then all of Creation waited in silence.

Centuries later, the Lord Jesus said to Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska:

“At three o’clock, implore [or beg for] My mercy, especially for sinners, and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself [in contemplation of] My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world.¹”

¹Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul (Massachusetts: Marian Press, 2020), Verse 1320, page 474.

“Then one of the Twelve [disciples], who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver Him to you?’ And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him [Jesus].” Matthew 26: 14-16

Always, we read these verses from Matthew’s Gospel with great shock and sorrow. How could Judas betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver? What was he thinking?

In our minds, we know that the betrayal of Christ was foretold by the ancient prophets:

“Then I said to them, ‘If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.’ And they weighed out as my wages 30 shekels of silver. Then the Lord said to me, ‘Cast it into the treasury — the lordly price at which I was paid off by them.'” Zechariah 11: 12-13

The betrayal of Jesus is even more humiliating because Judas was one of Jesus’ Twelve disciples:

“Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted his heel against Me.” Psalm 41: 9

Why did the betrayal come from one of Jesus’ chosen disciples?

We know that every single word in the Bible — and every act and teaching of Jesus — is divinely inspired. Jesus knew that the shock of Judas’ betrayal would compel us to stop and think about the times that we ourselves have betrayed Him — in thought or deed, in ways big and small, and for countless reasons. The fact that Judas was a close companion of Jesus stands as a warning for all of us — we must always remain on guard against words and actions that betray and cast aside the Love of Jesus.

The Mercy of Jesus is so vast. Still today, Jesus stands between us and the Father and cries out:

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23: 34

Jesus’ Love for us is equally vast. Only we can choose to separate ourselves from His Love. There is nothing else in all of Creation — not life, nor death, nor angels or principalities, nor things present or to come, nor height, nor depth, nor powers — that can separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8: 38-39)

As each new day dawns, Jesus waits quietly for us, offering us the chance to begin anew, together. (Lamentation 3: 22-24)

And so we pray: Dearest Guardian Angels, please stay near to us. Help us to not say or think or do things that offend the Mercy and Love of Jesus. Help us to hope always in Jesus; and to draw nearer and nearer to Him with each new day. Amen.