Easter Sunday C-2025 20-04-25
Life is ironic, and yet surprising.
Because it takes sadness to know what happiness is.
It takes noise to appreciate silence.
And it takes absence to value presence.
Yes, life is ironic, and the surprise is in the opposite.
This weekend is what is often called a “long weekend”.
Since Friday was a holiday, then it can be quite tempting to go for a short trip or do something exciting over the weekend.
But Friday is a religious holiday, and for us Catholics, that means it was a day of fasting and also coming to church.
It may seem rather ironic to spend a holiday with fasting and praying instead of doing something exciting.
But the irony is that in giving up what seems exciting that we receive something inspiring.
We came to church on Good Friday, and there is one thing that we will remember doing.
We will remember that we came forward to venerate the cross.
Parents brought their children along and as they kissed the cross, their children did likewise.
Whether ordinary or celebrity, they went down on their knees to kiss the cross.
Elderly aunties and uncles took great effort to get down and to kiss the cross and to get up again.
It is amazing, as well as inspiring.
It is ironic that the cross of suffering and pain is the majestic object of our veneration and adoration.
And it is also ironic that in the instrument of death is the symbol of life and love.
The mystery of the Resurrection is often symbolized in the empty tomb.
But the irony of the mystery is not in the empty tomb.
The question the angels had for those who went to the tomb is this:
Why look among the dead for the One who is alive?
The question that people may ask us is this:
Why kiss the cross on Good Friday? Why kiss an object of pain and suffering when we can enjoy the holiday and have fun and do something exciting.
But the irony is that in the symbol of pain and death, we encounter life and love.
But it is not because of the cross, but because of Jesus who died on it.
We believe in the Resurrection, not because of the empty tomb, but because of Jesus who rose from the dead, and rolled away the stone of sin and death.
So, we don't look among the dead for the One who is alive.
And Jesus lives, not in the empty tomb, but in our hearts.
With Jesus, let us roll away the stones of sin and death.
And may our faith in the Resurrection of Christ, bring out the love and life from us, so that others will also come to believe in Jesus who rose from the dead, and will give them life and love.