(FIRST READING ACTS. 10:34,37-43; RESPONSORIAL PSALM PSM. 117:1-2,16-17,22-23; SECOND READING COL. 3:1-4; GOSPEL ACCLAMATION 1COR 5:7-8; GOSPEL JN. 20:1-9)
THEME: THE STONE IS ROLLED AWAY: GOD WILL MAKE A WAY.
By: Rev. Fr. Francis Ogbonna
Today, being Easter Sunday, we celebrate the greatest feast of our Christian faith. It is the day the Church proclaims with joy that our savior is risen from the dead. As the Psalmist tells us, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). No matter what we are going through, today is a day of joy because Christ has conquered death. And it has no power over us again.
In the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, we see Mary Magdalene and the other Mary going to the tomb early in the morning. Their hearts were heavy. They had witnessed suffering, rejection, and death. For them, it seemed all hope was lost. But something unexpected happened. There was a great earthquake, and an angel of the Lord rolled away the stone and said to them, “Do not be afraid. He is not here; for He has been raised” (Matthew 28:5–6). Here, the stone was rolled away not by human effort but by the power of God. An indication that our God is omnipotent.
My beloved brothers and sisters, that stone represents many things in our lives. It may be the stone of hardship, poverty, sickness, family problems, disappointment, or even sin. Many people today feel that the “stone” before them is too heavy. They have prayed, struggled, and waited, yet nothing seems to change. But the Easter message is that God can roll away every stone in our life.
The women went to the tomb expecting to meet death, but instead they encountered life. In the same way, many times we expect the worst, but God is already preparing something new for us. As Saint Paul reminds us, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile” (1 Corinthians 15:17). But Christ has been raised, and that changes everything.
In the first reading, Saint Peter boldly proclaims: “God raised Him on the third day” (Acts 10:40). This is the same Peter who once denied Jesus out of fear. Now he speaks with courage. Why? Because he has seen that God can turn failure into victory. This is what the resurrection does for us: It transforms our lives completely.
My dear people of God, Easter is not just about what happened to Jesus; it is about what God is doing in our lives today. The same God who rolled away the stone from the tomb is still at work among us. He is the Alpha and Omega. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is still active in our families, our struggles, and our daily efforts.
Perhaps you are facing a situation that seems impossible. Perhaps there is a delay in your life, a burden in your home, or a silent pain in your heart. Easter is God’s answer to you, “Do not be afraid.” What you cannot move, God can move. What you cannot solve, God can solve. Where there seems to be no way, God will make a way.
But Easter also calls us to action. Saint Paul tells us, “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above” (Colossians 3:1). This means that we must leave behind the life of sin and embrace a new life of grace. We cannot celebrate the resurrection and remain in the tomb. We must come out of our hatred, dishonesty, and anything that keeps us away from God.
The women in the Gospel did not stay at the tomb. Jesus said to them, “Go and tell my brothers” (Matthew 28:10). In the same way, we are sent. Easter is not something we keep to ourselves. It must be seen in the way we live, in our patience, our kindness, our honesty, and our faith.
In our world today, especially in our country, Nigeria, people are looking for hope. Many are discouraged. Many are tired. Many are asking: “Where is God?” Our lives as Christians should be the answer. By the way we live, we must show that Christ is alive.
Dear brothers and sisters, the stone has been rolled away. Death has been conquered. Hope has been restored. As Scripture declares, “Death has been swallowed up in victory… thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our lord, Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54, 57).
So today, rejoice. No matter your situation, do not lose hope. Hold on to God. Trust in Him. For if He could raise Jesus from the dead, then He can handle your situation. The stone is rolled away, and God will make a way for you.
May the Lord bless His word in our hearts, and may it bear abundant fruit in our lives. Amen.
Wishing you a Happy Easter!
