Fr. Roger J. Landry
Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem
Mass inside the Tomb of Christ
December 1, 2021
To listen to an audio recording of today’s brief homily, please click below:
The points attempted in this homily were:
- The resurrection of Jesus is the most important event of all time.
- Jesus, however, doesn’t want it to remain an event. He tells us, like he told St. Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Just as it is awesome for us to have the privilege to return the Risen body of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist back into the empty tomb, so the same Lord Jesus wants to enter into us. He wants his Risen Life so to pervade us that we, like St. Paul, might say, “It is no longer I who live, but [the Risen] Christ who lives in me.”
- And just as Mary Magdalene couldn’t keep her encounter with Jesus to herself, neither should it be capable of us not to speak to others of this incredible reality, that we have not only seen the Lord but received him.
The Gospel for this Mass was:
Mt 28:1-10: 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.”
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