Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta thấy cái giá của sự thật là “số tiền” mà các thượng tế đút lót cho các quan lính để có một lời nói dối dễ dàng. Các thầy thượng tế yêu thích các ánh đèn màu, loè lẹt sân khấu” cũng như họ thích đánh bóng cá nhân và chức vị, cái TÔI của họ, họ cố tình dùng chức vị mà Thiên Chúa trao ban cho họ là để tôn vinh Thiên Chúa, nhưng họ đã không tôn vinh thiên Chúa mà họ còn dùng chức quyền ấy để thao túng, đánh lừa và bắt buộc người Do Thái sống trong sự lừa dối của họ, trong bóng tối của sự dữ và tội lỗi mà cha ông họ đã từng sống. Các thầy thượng tế sợ rằng sự thật của sự phục sinh sẽ làm họ mất chức, mất quyền lợi vì người Do Thái sẽ tự do ra đi trong ánh sáng của Chúa Phục Sinh.
Trong cuộc sống trong xã hội hiện tại, chúng ta thường hay bị cám dỗ để thao túng sự thật, vì vậy chúng ta phải sống làm sao khác hẳn với những kẻ xấu?, những kẻ chỉ biết lợi dụng chức quyền, tiền của để thao túng sự thật, làm hại cá nhân hay quyền lợi của người khác. Giải pháp hối lộ thao túng thực sự có giúp cho chúng ta được tự do như chúng ta hằng mong muốn và hy vọng? Trong mùa Phục Sinh này, chúng ta mừng Chúa Sống Lại với sự vui mừng vì chúng ta có được sự đổi mới trong tâm hốn, chúng ta hãy có gắng tránh cạm bẫy chính mình trong sức hút của sự dối trá và quyết tâm bảo vệ cho chân lý, sự thật và tự do mà chân lý đó mang lại.
Only Jesus has the power to give His life for us and break the terror of death. Every celebration of Easter gives proof that our faith is based not on an illusion but on the foundation of God’s love and truth. When we proclaim Jesus’ resurrection, we announce also liberation from sin because Jesus through His victory over death has overcome the power of Satan. We still experience temptation. We are sinners and we fail. Nevertheless, it is our Risen Lord who makes us free through the sacrament of reconciliation. When we proclaim Jesus’ resurrection we bring hope to our world because we announce the promise of eternal life. The Son of God who united His divinity with our human nature and is now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, will raise us up on the Last Day.
Imagine being one of the Roman guards tasked with keeping watch outside Jesus’ tomb. They likely had little interest in what seemed to them merely a religious dispute between Jesus, the chief priests, and elders. Some of Jesus’ followers believed He would rise from the dead, and there were rumors that they might steal Jesus’ body to claim that He had. With Pilate’s approval, the Roman guards were stationed outside the tomb, perhaps talking, playing games, or just resting.
The context of today’s Gospel is important to understand. Matthew 28:2–7 tells us that as the guards were at the tomb, there was suddenly an earthquake, and “an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.” The angel appeared “like lightning, and his clothing was white as snow.” The guards “were shaken with fear of the angel and became like dead men.” It must have been quite a scene to behold.
Again, imagine being one of those Roman guards. When they reported what happened to the chief priests, they might have expected them to believe their story. Instead, the priests bribed them, instructing them to spread the story that they had fallen asleep and that Jesus’ followers stole the body. Falling asleep on duty for a Roman guard was a serious offense, punishable by death, but fear and greed won out. They took the money and spread the lie. Yet what they saw would have stirred their hearts, likely stirring their consciences for the rest of their lives.
It’s entirely possible that in the years ahead, some of these guards began to speak openly about what they experienced. As they pondered what happened, witnessed faith in Jesus grow, and reflected on their dishonesty, some might have found the strength to repent and speak the truth. God, in His perfect mercy, would have accepted that repentance, healed their consciences, and filled them with strength and consolation. Just as Peter’s denial was transformed by God’s mercy, so too might these soldiers have been transformed with time and grace.
Reflect today on these Roman guards and put yourself in their shoes. Are there times when you have downplayed your faith around others because it was easier? Have you felt fear when your faith was challenged? Have you been pressured to misrepresent your convictions to fit in? If so, you can both relate to the guards and learn from them. Even if you have struggled to profess the Gospel with honesty and courage in the past, it is never too late to change. As we celebrate the octave of the Resurrection, resolve to be a witness to the Resurrection with courage and sincerity. Reflect on any reasons you might hesitate, and pray for the grace to proclaim it joyfully, rejoicing in the incredible privilege of openly professing faith in our resurrected Lord!
My victorious Savior, Your Resurrection affects all people. At the end of time, all will know Who You are and what You have done. Please give me the grace to profess my faith in Your glorious victory over sin and death so that others will come to know You before it is too late and have the courage to follow You in faith. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I praise you and worship you. I truly believe in the Resurrection of your Son. I believe that you have the power to raise me up. Help me to give witness to the Resurrection through my words and deeds this day.
1. The Gospel according to Peter: During the liturgical season of Easter, the First Reading at daily mass is taken from the Acts of the Apostles. This week, we will read Acts 2-4 and hear Peter preach three times. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter announces in Acts 2 the Good News of the Resurrection of Christ to those gathered in Jerusalem. He announces three things about Jesus. First, Peter recalls that Jesus worked mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, and announces that it was God who worked these signs through Jesus. The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus did these signs so that we would believe in him and in the one who sent him. The signs themselves point to something greater: the physical healings point to spiritual healing, restoring physical sight points to seeing with eyes of faith, and restoring someone to physical life points to the bestowal of eternal life on those who believe in Jesus. In the age of the Church, the Sacraments are these new efficacious signs of God’s grace and eternal life.
The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” Matthew 28:12–14
The Lord of all rose from the grave, conquering sin and death, making it possible for us all to share in His glorious Resurrection! Death had lost. Satan had lost. The corrupt religious leaders had lost. And all those who believed in Jesus now had their eternal hope renewed. Sadly, though, what was the greatest victory ever known for humanity, a victory that opened the doors to eternal glory for all who believe, could not be accepted by the chief priests and elders of the people. They saw to His death, and, now that He had risen, they scrambled to do all they could to hide that truth.
Pride is hard to overcome. When a person professes they are right, when in fact they are wrong, and when they are then confronted with their error, the sin of pride will inevitably tempt them to further sin. This is what we see today in this passage from our Gospel. The chief priests and elders were informed by the soldiers that when the women came to the tomb early in the morning, there was a great earthquake, and they saw an angel of the Lord descend from Heaven, roll back the stone, and sit on it. When they saw this, “The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men” (Matthew 28:4). And after they heard the angel tell the women that Jesus had risen, the guards went off to tell the chief priests and elders.
Some forms of sin can more easily be admitted, especially sins of weakness. When one is weak and falls, it may not be always easy to overcome that sin in the future, but it is easier to acknowledge it as sin when it is caused by human weakness. But a sin of weakness is much different than a sin of obstinate pride. Obstinate pride is not only hard to overcome, it’s hard to admit. It’s hard to admit our sin when it is based on our obstinacy and pride. As a result, this type of sin often leads to other sins such as ongoing deception, manipulation and anger. This is illustrated by these chief priests and elders. But if you can humble yourself and admit your sin when it comes from your pride, that humility can have a powerful and transformative effect upon your life.
Reflect, today, upon these chief priests and elders of the people. Try to ponder their hardness of heart and the sad situation they found themselves in as they attempted to cover up their error and sin. Resolve never to fall into this form of sin yourself. However, if this is a struggle for you, seek humility so that you can be freed of this heavy burden by the grace of the Resurrection of our Lord.
My resurrected Lord, You conquered sin and death and brought forth new life for all who believe in You. Give me the grace, dear Jesus, to never allow my sin of pride to keep me from being open to the glorious and transforming action You desire to do in my life. Please give me the gift of humility so that I may always turn from my sin and turn to You. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I praise you and worship you. I truly believe in the Resurrection of your Son. I believe that you have the power to raise me up. Help me to give witness to the Resurrection through my words and deeds this day.
1. Announcing the Good News: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary became the apostles to the Apostles. The “other Mary” is the mother of James and the wife of Clopas, who was the brother of Joseph. She was Jesus’ aunt. As two women left the tomb, they were fearful yet overjoyed. They were fearful because they just experienced a great earthquake, saw an angel of the Lord descend from heaven, and saw the angel roll back the stone at Jesus’ tomb. They were filled with an abundance of joy when they heard the announcement of the angel about Jesus’ resurrection: “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him’” (Matthew 28:5-7). As they were on their way to announce the good news of Jesus’ resurrection to the apostles, Jesus met them and greeted them.
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