Easter Sunday Homily Year A | Homily for 5th April 2026

 

My dear friends, today we celebrate Easter—the victory of life over death and hope over despair.

The empty tomb is not just a sign that Jesus has risen, but a reminder that God is still at work, bringing new life even from our darkest moments. As we reflect on today’s readings, we are invited not only to believe in the Resurrection, but to live it and share it with the world.

The first reading taken from the Acts of the Apostles is set at a turning point in the early Church. Peter is speaking in the house of Cornelius, a Gentile. Until this moment, many believers thought the message of Jesus was only for the Jewish people. But here, Peter realizes something new: God’s salvation is for everyone. This event opens the Church to all nations and marks a major shift in Christian mission. Peter begins with a powerful insight: “God shows no partiality.” In simple words, God does not favor one group over another. His love is open to all—rich or poor, Jew or Gentile, saint or sinner. Peter then summarizes the life of Jesus: He went about doing good, healing the sick, and bringing God’s love to people. Yet, despite all this goodness, He was put to death on a cross. But the story does not end there—God raised Him on the third day. The resurrection is central. It is not just an event; it is the proof that Jesus is Lord and that life is stronger than death. Peter also emphasizes that the apostles are witnesses. They did not just hear about Jesus—they lived with Him, saw Him after the resurrection, and now share this truth with others. Finally, he proclaims the heart of the Gospel: everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins. This passage challenges us in two ways. First, it reminds us that God’s love has no boundaries. We are called to break our own barriers—of prejudice, judgment, or exclusion. Second, like Peter, we are called to be witnesses, not just believers. Easter is not just celebrated—it is shared. Easter invites us to move from knowing about Jesus to becoming His witnesses. Like Peter, we are called to see beyond barriers—of religion, background, or status—and recognize that God’s love is for all. The question before us is: Do we live as Easter people? Do we carry hope where there is despair, life where there is darkness? The risen Jesus is not just someone to believe in—but someone to share.

In the second reading taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, St. Paul reminds Christians of a powerful truth: “You have been raised with Christ.” This is the heart of Easter. The resurrection is not just something that happened to Jesus—it is something that changes us too. Through baptism and faith, we share in His new life. Paul invites us to “seek the things that are above.” This does not mean ignoring our daily responsibilities or the world around us. Rather, it means changing our focus. Instead of being driven only by success, status, or material things, we are called to live with God at the center. Our priorities shift—we begin to value love, forgiveness, truth, and compassion more deeply. He also says, “your life is hidden with Christ in God.” It means our true identity is not found in what others think of us, or even in our struggles and failures, but in our relationship with Christ. Even when life feels uncertain or difficult, our life is held safely in God. Finally, Paul points us to the future: when Christ appears, we will share in His glory. Easter is not only about today—it is also about hope for what is to come. Easter calls us to live differently. If we are truly “raised with Christ,” then our thoughts, choices, and actions should reflect it. Today, ask yourself: What am I really seeking in life? Let us choose to seek Christ—because in Him, we find our true life.

I like to call the gospel passage from John as the “running Gospel.” Mary Magdalene runs to tell the disciples, and then Peter and the beloved disciple run to the tomb. There is urgency, confusion, and longing. But each one is seeking something different—Mary thinks the body is taken, Peter is trying to understand, and the beloved disciple is quietly searching for meaning. When they enter the tomb, they notice a strange detail: the burial cloths are lying there, and the face cloth is folded separately. This is deeply significant. If someone had stolen the body, they would not have taken time to arrange the cloths. These signs point to something extraordinary—Jesus has not been taken; He has risen. Death has been left behind, neatly folded, with no power over Him anymore. Then comes the turning point: the beloved disciple “saw and believed.” He does not yet understand everything, but he takes a step of faith. This is the beginning of Easter—faith born not from complete clarity, but from trust in what God is doing. Easter is a journey. Like the disciples, we run with questions, doubts, and different expectations. Sometimes we are like Mary—confused; sometimes like Peter—searching; and sometimes we are invited to be like the beloved disciple—to see and believe. The empty tomb is not just a sign of absence, but of new life. It calls us to move from fear to faith. Easter is not just the celebration of an empty tomb—it is the announcement that nothing in our lives is ever truly “finished” in God’s hands.
It tells us that God can take our worst moments—failure, suffering, even death—and quietly turn them into new beginnings. Easter is the courage to believe that hope is still alive, even when everything around us seems lost. As we celebrate Easter, let us not stop at the empty tomb, but move forward as witnesses of the risen Lord. Today, take one step—choose hope over fear, love over indifference, and be a light in someone’s darkness. Easter is not a standing still faith—it is a running faith. The tomb is empty… now it is our turn to run and share the Good News. May God bless us all.