Alleluia!

In today’s first reading from Acts 2: 14, 22-36, Paul speaks to the Jewish people about Jesus being “delivered up by the set purpose and plan of God; you…made use of pagans to crucify and kill him. God freed him from death’s bitter pangs, however, and raised him up again, for it was impossible that death should keep its hold on him….   Exalted at God’s right hand, he first received the promised Holy Spirit from the Father, then poured this spirit out on us.  This is what you now see and hear,” Paul says to them who thought that the disciples were drunk when they jubilantly and boldly proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus.   

This is the day the Lord has made. It was determined from all eternity that Jesus, the Messiah, would come to earth, taking on our humanity, subject to all things but sin. Jesus would be the New Adam. Just as Adam by his disobedience brought death upon us all, Jesus, the New Adam, would bring life to all. Jesus would take the sin of all humanity upon Himself, suffer condemnation for our sake, be killed in our place and be raised to new life. Death would be no more!

Alleluia! The tomb is empty! Jesus is risen, as He said He would be. “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up,” Jesus tells us in  John 2: 19.  We, too, will be raised up again on the last day; death will have no power over us at the end of time.  Our bodies will be reunited with our spirit selves and live forever with God in His holy place, enjoying what eye has not seen or ear has ever heard. That is the belief and the hope that sustains us through whatever passion and death we will endure here on earth!  Jesus has gone before us and is preparing a place for us to be with Him when we complete our earthly pilgrimage! Alleluia!