Easter Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons

Mary Magdala meets the Risen Jesus - Holbein the Younger

In the Eastern Church the position of Mary of Magdala has never been associated with the penitent woman or Mary of Bethany but always understood as a virtuous woman, the first witness to the resurrection, the myrrh-bearer going to anoint Jesus in his tomb, who is equal to the apostles. In fact in the Latin Church in the 10th century she was also referred to as apostolarum apostala, apostle to the apostles, for as we see in John's account of the resurrection it is Mary who confirms the faith of Peter and John, enabling them to discover what she has witnessed, that the Lord is risen!

It is a pity that we do not sing her praises as those of the other women more often enough as it begins to right an imbalance placing children, women and men together as witnesses to the Gospel. It is important that we redeem the richness and inclusivity of the Gospel message so that a hungry world may hear that the Christ died and rose for us all, not some exclusive part of humanity and that the Church is truly global and inclusive.

The gloomy forecasts of the demise of Christianity especially in Europe, sometimes made by Church leaders, is not a foregone conclusion, far from it, we are not called to pessimism but to faith, hope and love!

The Easter message as Peter tells us in the first reading from acts is about a number of men and women witnessing to the appearances of the risen Christ 'eating and drinking with him' after his resurrection, but then going out to proclaim to everyone the good news so that 'all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven in his name'. The image used by Paul of yeast leavening the dough points out that numerical strength is not what the Church is about, rather it is the witness of the disciples of Christ in every age, giving hope and life to the world, being salt, leaven light!

Pope Francis has reminded us that Christ who became humbler yet, even to death on the cross, is also the transforming gift for us all. The risen Christ is with us always and we must take up our cross and follow him, not in sorrow but in joy, a joy that permeates the world as we celebrate the resurrection. When people ask us 'where is the Lord you love and serve' what will we say? Perhaps on this feast of feasts we can find him again, not only in the breaking of the bread but in the poor and needy, in our families and neighbours, in the hope that he brings. But may we also pray for the unity of Christ's Church and especially for our sisters and brothers in the Middle East, for though the west celebrates Easter the Eastern Church still has a while to go, our joy will not be complete until we all celebrate together. Christ is risen, he is risen indeed!

Fr Robin Gibbons is an Eastern Rite Chaplain for the Melkite Greek Catholics in Britain.