But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.
Luke 24:12
Today we celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord. After forty days in the desert, with the various sacrifices we have offered and crosses we have borne, we have arrived at the very heart of our faith. Our Gospel reading tells us today that upon arriving at the empty tomb and seeing the burial cloths alone, St. Peter “went home amazed at what had happened.” Perhaps we too could say the same thing. What have we seen in these days of increased intensity? How experienced the presence of Christ as we have taken up our various crosses in order to follow Him? Perhaps we could say that through the difficulties we have experience through our self-denial, compounded by the various challenges we face in life, that we too have come to believe that Christ is risen from the dead, that His victory makes it possible for me to live today, no matter the circumstances. We pray in the Angelus that, “by His passion and cross we may come to know the glory of His resurrection.” What a privileged time we have been given to verify this claim for ourselves, so that we too may live in amazement at what has happened.
How have your Lenten practices helped you to recognize the presence of the Risen Christ in your life?
We pray for all those who feel crushed by the circumstances of life, that they may experience the victory of the Risen Christ and live in greater amazement at what has happened.
Today’s Reflection is by:
Fr. Ralph D'Elia
Did you know...
Fr. Ralph D’Elia was ordained a priest of the Diocese of St. Petersburg in 2019. He is currently assigned as the parochial vicar of the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle in St. Petersburg. Previously Fr. Ralph studied Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, with a specialization in Moral Theology.
