John 20:1-9

John 20:1-9

On the first day of the week,

Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,

while it was still dark,

and saw the stone removed from the tomb.

So she ran and went to Simon Peter

and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,

“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,

and we don’t know where they put him.”

So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.

They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter

and arrived at the tomb first;

he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.

When Simon Peter arrived after him,

he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,

and the cloth that had covered his head,

not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.

Then the other disciple also went in,

the one who had arrived at the tomb first,

and he saw and believed.

For they did not yet understand the Scripture

that he had to rise from the dead.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, the mystery of your Son’s Resurrection far surpasses my understanding. I am comforted seeing how Jesus’ disciples reacted in different ways to his Resurrection. Some were slow to believe, some needed a personal encounter, and some saw and believed. Bring me to a deep faith in Jesus’ Resurrection.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The First Day and the Eighth Day: In the Bible, “the first day of the week” meant Sunday. It recalled the first day of creation, when God created the light and separated the light from the darkness. In the New Testament, the day of the Lord’s Resurrection is known both as the first day of the week and also as the eighth day. Just as the old creation in Genesis began on a Sunday, the new creation in the Gospels began on a Sunday. And just as God rested on the seventh day, Jesus rested in the tomb on the seventh day. The number eight indicated a “new beginning.” For example, David was the eighth son of Jesse and was anointed as king to replace King Saul (see 1 Samuel 16:11-13). “Eight is sometimes considered the biblical number of a new beginning. With the anointing of David, a new day has dawned in salvation history” (Bergsma, Bible Basics for Catholics, 88). Jesus rose from the dead and emerged from the tomb on Easter morning – the first day of the new creation and the eighth day as a new beginning. He rose as the victorious king over sin and death. With Jesus’ resurrection, a new day has truly dawned and a new creation has been inaugurated.

2. The Sign of the Burial Cloths: When Mary of Magdala ran back to the Apostles and told them about Jesus’ tomb, how the stone was rolled back, and how the body of the Lord was stolen, their immediate reaction was to run to the tomb and verify her story. When Peter and John looked inside the tomb, something didn’t add up. If the body had been stolen, the thieves would not have stripped the body of the linen burial cloths or the head covering. The fact that the burial clothes were there and rolled up and set apart from the head covering indicated that something else happened, not the theft of a corpse. Peter saw what John saw, but was much slower to believe Jesus’ prediction that he would rise from the dead on the third day. 

3. They Did Not Yet Understand the Scripture: At the same time, John writes that neither he nor Peter understood the Scriptures that pointed to the necessity of Jesus’ rising from the dead. During his earthly life and ministry, Jesus hinted at one important scripture passage about his resurrection. This was the “sign of Jonah” (see Matthew 12:38-41; Luke 11:29-32). Just as Jonah would remain in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, so Jesus, the Son of Man, would remain in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. And just as the Gentiles – the Ninevites of Assyria – miraculously repented at the preaching of the prophet Jonah, so also the Gentiles – the Romans and others through the centuries – would inexplicably turn to the God of Israel and repent from their sinful and idolatrous ways. The sign of credibility in the Resurrection of Jesus is the conversion of the nations!

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, on this Easter Sunday, help me to seek the things that are above and keep them ever present before my mind. You have raised me up to new life and made me a new creation through the sacrament of baptism. One day, you will bring me into your heavenly glory.

Living the Word of God: On this Easter Sunday, contemplate your journey of faith. When did you first believe in God and in his Son, Jesus Christ? When has your faith been tested? Is there anything testing your faith today? Ask God today for the gift of a deeper faith: “I believe, Lord, help my unbelief!”