Lectionary: 42
Read the Gospel: John 20:1-9
Gospel Summary
Upon seeing that the stone had been removed from the tomb, Mary of Magdala ran to Simon Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved. She told them that the Lord had been taken from the tomb. Peter and the other disciple ran to see for themselves. The burial cloths were there, but the body of Jesus was gone. The disciple whom Jesus loved believed, even though neither Peter nor he understood the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.
Reflection for Parents
Things aren’t always as they seem. A spilled bottle of laundry detergent wasn’t mischievous behavior—it was your child’s attempt to surprise you by doing his or her own laundry. Secrets whispered behind your back weren’t an attempt to hide a wrongdoing. They were an effort to plan a surprise for you. In today’s Gospel reading, Mary of Magdala’s discovery of the empty tomb did not mean that Jesus’ body had been stolen—it was evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead! As Christians, we are invited to look beyond the surface, beyond the obvious, and to search for the deeper meaning—the deeper truth—that God is trying to reveal in the everyday occurrences of life.
Bringing the Gospel Into Your Family
Gather your family together to decorate your family prayer table for the Easter season. Place upon the table a white cloth, a candle, a Bible, a cross, and signs of the Easter season such as fresh flowers, an Easter egg, a butterfly, and anything that symbolizes new life to family members. Talk about ways you can be signs of new life to each other and to neighbors and friends throughout the Easter season. Even the smallest signs of thoughtfulness and caring can be Good News to those in need of Easter joy.
Discussion Starters
1. My favorite Easter symbol is ... because...
2. Mary Magdalene recognized Jesus' voice when he called her name. One time I know Jesus called my name when...
3. Someone I will share the Good News of Easter with is ... because ...
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