There are moments that change everything – when the world seems to pause and history pivots. Today, as bells toll across Rome and the faithful gather in St. Peter’s Square, we experience such a moment. Like the women who ran from the empty tomb that first Easter morning, we find ourselves caught between grief and hope, between what was and what will be.
This is my homily for EASTER MONDAY (April 21, 2025). The readings for today can be found at https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042125.cfm
And for those who prefer listening, you can find the audio version on SoundCloud HERE or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes HERE. Your comments, messages, and the way you’ve embraced these homilies continue to inspire me. Sincerely in Christ -Father Jim
Matthew’s Gospel tells us of that first Easter morning, when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary fled the tomb “fearful yet overjoyed.” Today, on Easter Monday 2025, we too experience this mixture of emotions as we mourn our Holy Father while celebrating the Resurrection that was his deepest hope and conviction.
The timing of Pope Francis’s passing on Easter Monday seems to echo Peter’s powerful words in Acts: “God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it.” These words, proclaimed in Jerusalem two millennia ago, remind us that death – while bringing sorrow – does not have the final word.
We might be tempted to see this Easter season differently now – to let our grief overshadow our paschal joy, to focus only on what we’ve lost. But our Lenten journey has prepared us for precisely this moment. Those forty days of reflection and sacrifice have tilled the soil of our hearts, making them ready not just for joy, but for transformation through both celebration and sorrow.
The Church, in her wisdom, gives us not just a day but fifty days of Easter – from the empty tomb to Pentecost’s flame. Now, as we begin this season having lost our shepherd, these days take on new meaning. They become a time to integrate loss and hope, to understand more deeply what it means to be an Easter people even in the midst of grief.
Like those first disciples, we find ourselves at a threshold. The Church will continue, as it has for two millennia, guided by the Holy Spirit. Our Lenten sacrifices weren’t meant to be temporary breaks from routine, but preparation for moments exactly like this – when we’re called to live our faith in the face of profound change.
Today, we’re all like those women at the tomb – running with news that will change lives, carrying both fear and joy in our hearts. As we move forward in faith, may we remember that Easter isn’t about returning to normal but about embracing a new reality – one where love triumphs over death, where hope springs from loss, and where Christ’s promise of resurrection lights our way forward.
