Easter
Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, Year A - April 5, 2026
Acts
10:34a, 37-43; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9
Theme: The Mystery
of the Empty Tomb: “He Saw, and He Believed”
- A Brief Exegetical
Analysis of
John 20:1-9
1. Historical
and Literary Contexts
The
evangelist placed this story about the Empty Tomb immediately after the
accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial (19:17-42) and before a series of
stories detailing Jesus’ appearances (20:11-29). Before announcing Jesus’
resurrection through these appearances, the sacred author wanted his readers to
first consider some facts proving the resurrection of Jesus. The evidence that
Peter and the “other disciple” found in the tomb, including the empty tomb, the
burial clothes, and the cloth that covered Jesus’ head, which was rolled up in
a separate place, serves as sufficient proof that Jesus has truly risen.
2. Form,
Structure, and Movement
The
Gospel passage is a narrative story structured in two parts: Mary Magdala
experiences the rolled stone at the tomb’s entrance (vv. 1-2), and Peter and
the “other disciple” experience the empty tomb (vv. 3-9).
Vv.
1-2. Mary of Magdala goes alone to visit Jesus’ tomb (Matthew states there were
two women [Mt 28:1], while Mark and Luke mention three women [Mk 16:1; Lk 24:1,
10]). It was on the “first day of the week,” Sabbath (Sunday for Christians), a
day after the Jewish Passover. Regarding the time, the four Gospels do not
agree. Matthew describes this time as “dawning” (Mt 28:1), according to Mark,
the sun had risen (Mk 16:1), and for Luke, it was at daybreak (Lk 24:1). John
states that it was early in the morning when it was still dark. He emphasizes
“darkness” here because throughout his Gospel, he contrasts darkness with light
in various contexts. Here, the “darkness” symbolizes the absence of faith in
Jesus’ Resurrection. Thus, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the
morning, still not believing in Jesus’ Resurrection. She finds the heavy stone
that covered the entrance to the tomb removed, but she does not go in. Her
spontaneous reaction is to run back home and report to Simon and the “other
disciple whom Jesus loved.” (Most biblical scholars think that this “other
disciple whom Jesus loved” is the apostle John, son of Zebedee. However, they
have debated the authorship of the Johannine books, including the Gospel of
John, the three Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation.) In her report,
she does not mention the Resurrection because her faith in Jesus’ Resurrection
is still in “darkness.” She states that the Lord has been taken from the tomb
by an unnamed plural pronoun, “they.” Additionally, she uses another plural
pronoun, “we,” in her subsequent statement, “we don’t know where they put him.”
With the plural pronoun “we,” it remains unclear whether she refers to Peter
and the “other disciple” or perhaps to another woman (or women) who were with
her but not mentioned in v. 1. By using “we,” Mary of Magdala includes others
in her “darkness of faith.”
Vv.
3-9. The narrator contrasts two directions of running: Mary of Magdala ran from
the tomb (v. 2), while Peter and the other disciple (the one Jesus loved the
most) ran toward the tomb (vv. 3-4). The “other disciple” runs faster than
Peter. This may indicate his love for Jesus, which is a response to Jesus’ love
for him, making his faith run faster. Alternatively, it could be attributed to
his younger age compared to Peter, enabling him to run faster than Peter.
This
“other disciple” is the first to arrive at the tomb, but he waits for Peter to
enter before him because he respects Peter’s leadership. Both disciples see the
same evidence (the burial clothes and the cloth that had covered his head
rolled up in a separate place), but the narrator mentions only the “other
disciple” who believes; he says nothing about whether Peter believes or not.
The narrator comments in v. 9, “For they did not yet understand the scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.” Does this comment contrast understanding
and believing, reason and faith? Which one comes first, believing (faith) or
understanding (reason)? Reading v. 8 in parallel with v. 9, we find that the
“other disciple” believed before he understood the Scriptures. He first used
his faith in Jesus before he could intellectually figure out how Jesus’ Resurrection
could be possible.
4.
Synthesis
On
the Sabbath day, after the Jewish Passover feast, Mary of Magdala went to the
tomb alone early in the morning while it was still dark, indicating her lack of
faith in Jesus’ Resurrection. Upon realizing that the stone covering the tomb
had been removed, she did not experience the empty tomb since she did not enter
it. Instead, she ran back home and announced to the disciples that Jesus’ body
had been taken from the tomb by an unknown plural pronoun, “they.” She
employed another plural pronoun, “we,” associating others with her lack of
faith when she said, “[And] we don’t know where they put him.” By using this
plural pronoun “we,” perhaps she included Peter and this other disciple or
another woman (or other women) who may have been with her at the tomb but were
not mentioned in v. 1. The two disciples ran toward the tomb. The “other
disciple” ran faster than Peter (perhaps because of his great love for Jesus or
his young age) and arrived first, but he let Peter enter the tomb before him,
possibly out of respect for Peter’s leadership. They both saw the same evidence
of the empty tomb: the burial clothes and the cloth that had covered Jesus’
head rolled up in a separate place. The “other disciple” believed even before
understanding, but the narrator said nothing about Peter, whether he believed
or not.
1. Liturgical
Context
Today’s
Scripture readings testify that our Lord has risen and is alive. The Gospel
recounts Peter and the “other disciple’s” experience at the empty tomb. In the
first reading, Peter summarizes Jesus’ life and calls us to believe in Jesus’
Resurrection in order to receive forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ name. Since
we are now raised with Christ and beginning a new life with him, Saint Paul, in
our second reading, urges us to seek and focus on what is above, not on what is
on earth.
2. What
the Church Teaches Us Today
Mary
of Magdala did not allow the “darkness” of her lack of faith in Jesus’
Resurrection, along with the darkness of fear, doubt, worries, and
uncertainties, to prevent her from visiting her Lord Jesus. Her love for Jesus
was greater than the “darkness” of her life. Likewise, we cannot let the dark
moments of our lives prevent us from coming to Jesus, especially for Sunday
Masses. Instead, let us use the love that Jesus has for us and our love for him
to motivate us and enhance our faith in his Resurrection, believing even before
we try to understand it, just as the “other disciple” did in our Gospel.
Since
we have experienced the empty tomb and believed in Jesus’ Resurrection, our
Holy Mother Church now asks us to share our personal experiences of Jesus’
Resurrection with our brothers and sisters, as Peter did in our first reading.
Understanding the context of our first reading is essential for comprehension.
Our first reading is a speech attributed to Peter during his visit to the home
of a Roman Centurion named Cornelius (see Acts 10:34-43). This Gentile,
Cornelius, was a generous supporter of the Jewish community in Caesarea. One
day, while praying, he had a vision and was instructed to invite Peter to his
home (10:1-8). Peter also had a vision while praying. In that vision, God told
him to cancel specific food prohibitions that kept Jews and Gentiles separated
from one another. It is important to note that these prohibitions prevented
Jews and Gentiles from entering each other’s homes (10:9-16). The Spirit of God
instructed Peter to go to the home of the Gentile Cornelius (10:17-23).
Therefore, Peter, a Jew, entered the home of Cornelius, a Gentile, and engaged
with many other Gentiles present, including Cornelius’s household, relatives,
and friends. The first thing Peter did was acknowledge in their presence that
Jews (including himself) were not supposed to associate with or visit Gentiles.
However, in the vision, God revealed to him that no human being is to be
considered “profane or unclean.” Thus, Peter broke the tradition that kept Jews
and Gentiles apart (10:24-29). In turn, Cornelius explained his vision to Peter
and the reason he invited him (vv. 30-33). Our first reading story continues
from here.
Peter
delivers his testimony to the Gentiles and to each of us about the central
mystery of the Christian faith. The first words of Peter’s speech are found in
vv. 34b-35, which the lectionary omitted from our first reading passage. In
these words, Peter encourages unity between Gentiles and Jews, as well as
between us and our fellow parishioners, family members, and everyone else. He
says, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation
whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.” (10:34b-35). The
message of the Resurrection of Christ that we bring to our brothers and sisters
should be one of unity, not division. The new life that the Risen Lord offers
us is a life of togetherness. Let us break down all barriers of division that
separate us from one another and start a new life of unity with Christ. Peter
continues his speech by summarizing Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Jesus
went about doing good and healing all the oppressed people. He was crucified
and raised by God. He appeared to the apostles as the witnesses chosen by God
in advance. Jesus commissioned them to preach and testify that he is the one
God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. Those who believe in Jesus
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name (vv. 37-43). Here, our Holy
Mother Church reminds us that we, Christians, are the successors of the
apostles who witnessed Jesus’ events. As he did with his apostles, Jesus
commissions us today to go wherever we live, teach the people, and testify
about the mystery of the Empty Tomb. Jesus is risen; he is alive, and everyone
who believes in his resurrection obtains forgiveness of sins. This is what
Saint Paul means when he invites us, who are raised with Christ, to seek not
what is on earth but what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of
God (Col 3:1-3). Let us bring the message of hope from Jesus’ Resurrection to
everyone, especially those who are desperate.
May
the mystery of the Empty Tomb that we celebrate in this liturgy fill our hearts
with the joy of Jesus’ Resurrection. Amen.
Happy Easter!
Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD
Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS
&
SVD-USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator
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