On Good Friday, I arrived for liturgy early and found myself sitting in a nearly empty church, staring at the empty tabernacle. The altar was bare, the sanctuary light removed, the statues covered. The absence of Jesus was palpable. As I sat in uncomfortable silence, I reflected upon how lifeless the church felt without His real Presence. I became lost in thought, pondering how the disciples felt in the wake of Good Friday and how desolate and barren life without His Presence would be. Without Jesus, I too felt empty.
As I sat in silence, I took comfort in knowing that soon the empty tabernacle would resemble the empty tomb, a sign not of desolation, but of hope and glory. At the Easter Vigil, we sit in darkness, waiting for the Light of Christ to enter in. In the Readings, we journey through Salvation History, reflecting upon how God’s saving hand guides us through darkness, towards His Son who is both Good Shepherd and sacrificial lamb. In Luke’s Gospel, we listen to the story of Mary Magdalene and the women who arrived at the tomb at dawn to meet emptiness: “They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” At first, they are “puzzled” and yet the angels assure them that Jesus Christ is risen indeed!
Likewise, in John’s Gospel proclaimed on Easter Sunday morning, we again meet Mary Magdalene, the apostle to the apostles, who takes the Good News of the empty tomb to Peter and John. They “see and believe” amidst the emptiness. In the weeks ahead, we will hear the beautiful accounts of Jesus appearing to his friends, but I find it interesting that, both Gospel readings this Easter, we do not encounter the Risen Christ. Instead, we witness the transition from empty tabernacle to empty tomb and embrace the hope that makes us an Easter people. Blessed are we who have not seen, but continue to believe.
Today, we rejoice! Because the tomb is empty, the real Presence of Jesus has returned to the tabernacle. The sanctuary lamp is lit, the altar is dressed, and flowers abound amidst our Alleluias. As we proclaim in the verse before the Gospel, “Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed; let us then feast with joy in the Lord.” Having endured the emptiness of Good Friday, we are now called to fullness of life in the Risen Christ. Having died with Christ in Baptism, we are raised to new life eternally. The empty tomb is a call to action. We must follow in Mary Magdalene’s footsteps and announce the Good News of salvation to the ends of the earth. As we enter into the Easter Season, may we empty ourselves of any darkness, so that we may be filled with the Light of Jesus. May we be ready to encounter the Risen Lord in the Sacraments and become the Body of Christ in the world today. May Alleluia be our song this Easter and always!