Dear brothers and sisters,
Christ is risen! He is truly risen! Alleluia!
Today’s Gospel, on this very special day, takes us to the morning of the first day of the renewed creation. It is not merely the dawn of another ordinary day, but the beginning of a wholly new era, of a reality transformed by the victory of life over death.
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, carrying in her heart the weight of absence, loss, and grief. Many of us know all too well the feelings Mary Magdalene carried with her. How often do we, too, walk blindly, searching for signs of hope in the darkness of our own tombs?
But it is precisely in this dark scenario that something surprising happens: the tomb is open. The body is no longer there. And the stone—a symbol of the end, of defeat, of the silence of death—has been removed. The Gospel we have heard does not speak of Jesus, but of three disciples: Mary runs to announce it, Peter and the beloved disciple run to see, but they find no definitive answer, only a sign: the linens, the folded shroud, the emptiness that speaks. This happens because the risen Jesus is not immediately evident; His presence leaves traces, signs, but not everyone understands that they come from Him.
These three disciples each represent a different stage in the journey of faith. Some run to share what they have seen with others as soon as they witness something extraordinary; others, though they wish to bear witness, come but do not fully believe; and still others, like the beloved disciple, recognize the extraordinary event and the sign as coming from the Risen One.
The Gospel says: “They had not yet understood that he was to rise from the dead.” How difficult it is to understand this! How challenging it is, even today, to believe that life conquers death, that love is stronger than hate, that the cross is not the end, but the beginning. Now I ask you: have you noticed that there is a word that is repeated several times in this Gospel passage? The word that is repeated most often is “tomb.” The disciples were looking for answers in the wrong place. A tomb is a place of death; we must leave it behind, because Jesus is not there.
Jesus’ resurrection is not merely a memory or a promise for the future. It is a present reality. The new creation has begun and reaches us today. The stone that lay upon our hearts has also been removed. The light of Easter morning pierces the darkness of fear, sadness, and discouragement. We are no longer alone. The Risen One walks beside us. He is alive and calls us to life!
The Easter experience is manifested in our encounter with the living Christ, present in the Word that touches our hearts, in the Eucharist that nourishes us, in this community that gathers in his name, and, above all, in the mission he entrusts to us: to be witnesses of the resurrection.
From the empty tomb, we are called to see with new eyes, to live with renewed zeal, and to believe even when we do not fully understand. Easter faith does not require complete understanding, but a willingness to let the presence of the Risen One transform us. It is not enough to admire the signs or to wish to be their witnesses; we must believe in them in order to move from the perception of absence to true presence.
My brothers and sisters, let us celebrate this Easter with joy. Let us not celebrate it as a mere ritual, but as a hopeful renewal of our faith. There is no longer a night without a dawn, nor a cross without a resurrection. The final word always belongs to God, and it is a word of life!
May the light of the Risen Lord illuminate our lives, rekindle our faith, renew our hope, and strengthen our love. And may each of us, like Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the Beloved Disciple, run throughout the world proclaiming: He is alive! Alleluia!
A joyful and holy Easter of new life to all of you!
Fr Superior General Anselmo R. Ribeiro, SVD,
Easter 2026, Collegio del Verbo Divino – Rome
PHOTO: Fr Anselmo Ribeiro SVD gives the Easter homily at the SVD's Rome headquarters. (SVD Generalate Media)
