As we celebrated Easter Sunday yesterday, the most important Feast of the Church, let us remember to get to this point we had a week that was very hard for Jesus. He experienced three things that all of us can relate to in our own lives.

• First, Envious People. All what Jesus did was the Will of the Father: He cured the sick; He fed thousands of people with a few loaves of bread and fish; He raised the dead to life; He preached about the Kingdom of God and many other things about life; He gave hope to people and love to the marginalized and sinners. Yet because of the envy of the Sadducees, the Pharisees and the Elders, they accused of many false things which led to his public trials. Look at what envy can do. 
• Second, Fickle minded People. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, people where shouting “Hosanna in the Highest” and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” A few days later, the people where shouting, “Crucify Him.” How fast does public opinion change – one day you are up and the next day you are down.
• Third, Unfaithful People. After three years of being together, Jesus was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter three times and abandoned by the apostles, except for John, in his dying moments on the cross. How true is the saying that when you hit rock bottom, you can count on just a few true people.

All of these have contributed to the Passion and Death of Jesus on the Cross. But the good news is it doesn’t end with the Death of Jesus on the Cross. It doesn’t end with Good Fridays. 

In the Gospel, both Peter and John went to the tomb after Mary of Magdala reported the missing body of Jesus. John and Peter both saw the burial clothes and the cloth that have covered the head of Jesus in a separate place. John Saw and Believed. In other words, John remembered and believed the Words of Christ that after three days, He will rise again. 

Because God has a plan and God is in control, the Mission of Jesus did not end on a Good Friday. There is always an Easter Sunday. 

With this reality, three things we remember from Easter Sunday:

• First, Victory Over Sin and Death. The rising of Jesus from the dead means that Jesus who bore the weight of our sins on the cross rose from the death after three days. Sin and Death did not conquer Jesus, it was Jesus who conquered Sin and Death. It was the love and forgiveness of God that conquered sin and death. 
• Second, Hope Amidst Suffering. Jesus once said, “Pick up your cross and follow me.” Seemingly this does not make sense because we want to take away the crosses of our lives. Yet, now it makes a lot of sense. The crosses of life have a reason and purpose. There will always be something good that will come out. Hence always be Hopeful.
• Third, the Hope in Eternal Life. What of the most painful experience in life is a death of a loved one. We know that life will never be the same again. Yet, with the resurrection of Jesus we are reminded that everything in this life is only passing and temporary, there is Eternal Life. That is why Jesus told His disciples when He was saying goodbye, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God and have faith in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.”

Love and Forgiveness. Hope Amidst Suffering. Eternal Life

In the writings of St Faustina, she mentioned that Easter as the “Fountain of Life,” where the soul can receive forgiveness and grace. She was also quoted saying, “My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world” Hence, as we celebrate Easter let us remember to always be hopeful amidst Global Crises and our own crises in life. Remember because God has a plan and He is in control, after the Good Fridays of Life come the Easter Sundays; let us also show mercy to our neighbors by bringing them hope and mercy whenever they are going through the Good Fridays of life.