The Empty Tomb

The Resurrection of the Lord

05 April 2026

 

First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8

Gospel: John 20:1-9 or Matthew 28:1-10

 

Reflection

By: Benj Santiago

The Resurrection of Christ is a message of hope for a nation often burdened by poverty, corruption, disasters, and uncertainty brought about by the Middle East conflict between Iran vs Israel and USA. 

Like the disciples who found the empty tomb, we are invited to believe even when situations look hopeless. 

The risen Christ reminds us that suffering is not the end, and darkness never has the final word. 

In a country facing economic hardship, rising prices, and social division, Easter calls us to renew our faith, rebuild our communities, and rise above fear with courage, unity, and compassion. 

Hope is alive, and new life is always possible.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Risen Savior, in our nation burdened by poverty, corruption, disasters, and uncertainty, renew our hope. 

When life seems hopeless, help us believe in Your victory over darkness. Strengthen our faith, unite our people, and give us courage to rebuild with compassion. 

May Your Resurrection inspire new life in us all. Amen.

Christ is Risen!

 

 Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord

17 April 2022

 

First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Responsorial Psalm: PS 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Second Reading: COL 3:1-4 or 1 COR 5:6b-8

Gospel: JN 20:1-9

 

Reflection

By: Sem. Kenjie Viado

Grade 12, Our Lady of the Pillar Seminary, Diocese of Imus

Christ is risen, let us praise Him!

Today we celebrate the Easter of our Lord. Jesus rose from the dead, this resurrection is a sign of his insatiable love for us after he offered himself in suffering, pain, and death on the Cross.

As the Gospel says, the disciples of Jesus were surprised that they did not see the body of Jesus and they thought that Jesus was stolen from the tomb. Sometimes in our lives we experience that Jesus is already there but we still do not believe or trust. The resurrection of our Lord has crossed us so that we may live holy and virtuous lives. Jesus has self-sacrifice for us and this reminds us that he is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The challenge of the Gospel to us today is to keep Jesus alive and to continue to believe and trust in Him. We should keep this in mind as we celebrate the most wonderful and joyful celebration of Easter. 

May we never forget our duty in life as Catholics. We must follow the Lord and walk in His path, seeing the hope of His light and salvation, and the empty tomb that shows us hope with a path beyond, and beyond sin and death. Through Jesus, His loving sacrifice on the Cross and above all, His resurrection from the dead, showed us the path out of darkness into the light. May the joy of Our Risen Lord be with us always. May He grant us all to remain steadfast in the faith, to remain committed to Him, whatever challenges, trials, experiences, and temptations may be. May God bless us always, and may we all have a blessed celebration of Easter. Alleluia! Alleluia! Our Lord is Risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen!

Prayer

Lord, Jesus, thank You for Your gift of Salvation through Your passion, death, and resurrection. As we celebrate Easter, in our rebirth with renewed faith and commitment to You and Your people.  May we bring joy, love, hope, and peace everywhere and to everyone we encounter. We ask this through Your Most Holy Name, Jesus, Amen.

 

The Convincing Answer

The Resurrection of the Lord

April 16, 2017

First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Peter proceeded to speak and said: "You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his  name."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Second Reading: Col 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters:

If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

Gospel: Jn 20:1-9

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Reflection 
by Pietro Albano

Many years ago, I attended a pastoral planning event of the parish. During the group dynamics, I was  chosen to be the leader of our group. We were working on a draft vision and mission statements when an old lady in our group posed me several questions which all started with the words "Paano ka makakahikayat sa ating parokya kung...?" (How will you convince people to be active in the parish if...?).

At first, I was a bit annoyed and tried to dismiss her questions. But they lingered. Eventually, we came up with the draft statements and presented them to the whole assembly. I couldn't remember the full text of the statements, but the first few words of the vision statement goes like this: "a Christ-centered community". These were then agreed by everyone. I never heard anymore questions from our elderly colleague.

That question "Paano ka makakahikayat?" rings a bell especially during this Year of the Parish. How do we convince people to actively participate in our parish community? There are many answers we could choose from: lay empowerment, a more lively liturgy, more activities, more outreach programs, simple lifestyle, etc.

But one and only one answer should not be overlooked. Amidst all the challenges the Church faces nowadays, let's not forget that the Risen Jesus is the best answer, the best experience we can share to encourage the "unchurched" to be involved in the life of the parish. We may have empowered the laity, have a lively liturgy or a thriving outreach programs, but if Christ is not the center of it all, if His message is silenced by intrigues, if His healing is counteracted by our pride and "pagpapasikat", if His power and mercy are still buried by our stubbornness, we will be like Peter and John in today's Gospel: staring at the tomb, but failing to understand that Jesus must rise again from the dead.

A blessed Easter to all!

Prayer

Loving Father, thank You for sending Jesus Your Son to save us by His Death and Resurrection. With faith renewed, guide us to proclaim with our lives His triumph over sin so as to affirm the faith of others. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Doubts Conquered

“ When you begin to study, look up to Him and think: 'O Lord, how worthless this knowledge would be, if it were not for the enlightening of my mind for Your service, or for making me more useful to my fellow men.'”

- St Elizabeth Ann Seton

First Reading:  Acts 2:14, 22-33

          But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words."Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know --this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

          But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, `I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will dwell in hope. For thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let thy Holy One see corruption.

          Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou wilt make me full of gladness with thy presence.' "Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

          This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you see and hear.

Psalm: Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11

Second Reading: 1 Peter 1:17-21

          And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

          That very day two of them were going to a village named Emma'us, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, "What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cle'opas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

          And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.

          Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see." And he said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, but they constrained him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them.

          When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures? And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, who said, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Reflection:

Doubts Conquered

By Benj Santiago

“He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” 

Today marks the second Sunday after the Resurrection or Easter Sunday. For us who live in the now, in this timeframe where we have been freely celebrating Easter Sunday all over the world; it is a totally different situation. We believe for we are free to believe and we have heard and read many testimonies about the Risen Christ in the Bible. While it was already foretold by the prophets of old before it actually came to reality on that fateful first Easter Sunday, many still failed to believe for many reasons. Some of the Jews did not believe out of fear and deception of the authorities which even include the priests of Jesus time. Even Thomas doubted and Peter the impulsive and brave leader of the disciples were locking themselves up for fear of the Jewish authorities. They know the scriptures and they have been able to live and talk and eat with Jesus yet they doubted. 

The two disciples mentioned in today’s Gospel also did not recognize Jesus. They did not believe in what was already foretold by Jesus that He will rise up on the third day!The Emmaus experience of the two disciples open their hearts and minds that indeed Jesus have risen from the dead. What opened their eyes was the breaking of the bread: “And it happened that, while he was with them at the table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished in their sight.”

For me, every Holy Mass is a repeat of the Emmaus experience of the disciples of Jesus. The Mass lets me open my eyes, my mind and my heart to what was foretold before Jesus time, and what continually happens in the present.  The celebration of the Holy Eucharist transports me back to the “Last Supper” of Jesus, and transforms me to bring this love to the people I meet that they may encounter in me the Risen Christ. The mass restores and strengthens my faith and hope that we too shall rise from our own “trials and deaths” for we have Jesus Who has conquered death!Open our hearts to the Risen Lord! Let His peace and love keep burning within our hearts. Let our faith, hope be to Him who have risen! Receive Him in the Holy Mass.

Prayer

Our loving and merciful Father, we thank You for giving us Your Son Jesus Christ our risen Lord and Savior. May our hearts continue to burn within us that it may set on fire the hearts of people we meet. May the risen Lord we receive in the Holy Eucharist continue to strengthen our faith and hope in Him. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

One With Us

Easter Sunday
04 April 2010


The Lord has truly risen, alleluia.


First reading Acts 10:34,37-43
Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘The truth I have now come to realise’ he said ‘is that God does not have favourites, You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.’

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 117:1-2,16-17,22-23

Second reading Colossians 3:1-4
Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.

Gospel Luke 24:13-35
Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.

Reflection
By Grace Madriñan

I am a big fan of this alternative rock band called Switchfoot because of their sound and inspirational lyrics. They are often tagged as a Christian band but they philosophically disagreed with this label. At first, I did not understand their intentions. Aren’t they proud of being called a ‘Christian’ band? But as they explained, “Calling us 'Christian rock' tends to be a box that closes some people out and excludes them. And that's not what we're trying to do”. I realized that they did not want to tag their music as Christian genre so that they can reach out to more audience, believers and the unbelievers alike. Listening closely to their songs, you can hear some Bible passages blended into their melody and poetry. Subtly, they are able to share their message and their faith through music.

Reading about today’s Gospel, I used to wonder why Jesus did not introduce Himself directly to the two men while walking to Emmaus. He could just have stepped in front of them and made His majesty felt. Instead, He walked with them patiently, gauging their understanding of what happened. And upon realizing their lack of faith and knowledge of the essence of His death, He enlightened them and told them everything they needed to know. He did not force them to see Him instantly. It was only later, with the help of the Holy Spirit, that they recognized Jesus during the breaking of the bread.

The road to Emmaus is like our journey with the Lord. Oftentimes, we walk wrapped up in our own affairs that we do not realize His intervention. We do not recognize His message along the way, yet the Lord walks with us and patiently leads us to understanding. We can only recognize Jesus’ presence if we invite Him, just like when the two men invited Jesus to stay with them. It is only then that we will see Jesus walking with us and His hand is on every situation. This Easter Sunday, may we acknowledge the risen Jesus in our lives and invite Him to dwell in our hearts forever.

Dearest Jesus, Your love amazes me! You walked the path of death to be one with us, sinners. Be with us. Lord, now and forever. Amen.

Next week on God-speak
Proof of Love