Hello, Reader!
Alleluia! The stone has been rolled away, the tomb is empty, and death has lost its grip. Rev. Shanley-Roberts will lead us in the main celebration of the Christian year—the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Easter Sunday 2026: He Is Not Here; He Has Been Raised!
Alleluia! The stone has been rolled away, the tomb is empty, and death has lost its grip. Rev. Shanley-Roberts will lead us in the main celebration of the Christian year—the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Old Testament – Acts 10:34–43 Peter proclaims the resurrection to Cornelius’s household—an event itself, a moment of new life, as good news spreads beyond every boundary. Jesus, anointed with the Holy Spirit, traveled doing good, was put to death, and God raised him on the third day. The emphasis is on witnesses: those who saw the risen Jesus, spoke with him, and shared meals with him. The resurrection is a public, historical event, not just a private spiritual experience.
Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24 This powerful Easter psalm takes on new meaning on the other side of the empty tomb. “I shall not die, but live.” “The same stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” “This is the day that the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” These words were likely sung by Jesus himself at the Last Supper. Now the Church sings them again: the one who was rejected and handed over to death has become the cornerstone of a new creation.
Epistle – Colossians 3:1–4 Since you have been raised with Christ, seek what is above and focus your thoughts on heavenly things. This is not an escape from reality but an invitation to live in the truth of the resurrection. Your old self is gone; your true life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ is revealed, you will be revealed with him in glory. Easter is not just a past event—it is a future reality already beginning to show in the present.
Gospel – Matthew 28:1–10 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary arrive at the tomb at dawn. An earthquake shakes the ground; an angel rolls away the stone. The message is clear: “He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.” The women are sent to tell the disciples. Before they can deliver the message, Jesus Himself meets them on the road. “Rejoice!” he greets them. They grasp his feet and worship him.
The tomb is empty — not so Jesus could leave, but so we can see that he is already ahead of us, already waiting, already sending us forward into something new. The resurrection doesn’t bring Jesus back to where he was; it sends him — and us — into transformation.
The stone has been rolled away. Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
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