We have journeyed with Jesus through the 40 days of Lent, following Him in His Passion and Death. Today, we celebrate in the joy of the Resurrection. Leo the Great said, "Jesus hastened to rise as soon as possible because He was in a hurry to console His mother and the disciples." The tomb was never going to be the final resting place of the One who is the Resurrection and the Life. The Resurrection of Jesus assures us that we too will rise with Him.

Faith in the Resurrection is a movement. It takes us from where we are in our faith journey to where we should be. It doesn’t happen overnight. Celebrating Easter in the liturgy doesn’t mean we have fully discovered the light of Christ. We need to experience Him, not just intellectually, but deeply in our hearts. Like the apostles, it takes time for us to understand and live out this faith.

It is very interesting to hear about the experiences of Mary Magdalene and Peter. Mary recognized Jesus only when He called her name, while Peter witnessed the scene at the tomb and believed. He understood and accepted the reality of the Resurrection. The Gospel story does not judge these disciples; it simply shows that Mary Magdalene and Peter, in their own way, came to believe. This is what matters.

From the disciples, we learn that seeing and believing is a powerful model of faith. The empty tomb motivated them to seek the Risen Lord, and each encounter deepened their experience of Him, giving new meaning to their lives. We are invited to seek the Risen Lord in our daily lives—through prayer, moments of grace, or through time spent with loved ones. These moments of joy after sorrow, of restoration after struggle, are times when we share in His Paschal Mystery.

Let me remind you that the journey of discovery includes doubts, and doubts can be helpful. They encourage us to seek answers and live more convincingly. In today’s readings, God reminds His people of His unwavering love and promise. In the Gospel, despite their doubts, Jesus instructs the disciples, “Go to Galilee.” Why Galilee? I think that was where their journey with Jesus began—the place where they were first called. Returning to Galilee meant revisiting their journey, now seen through the light of the cross and Resurrection. It was a re-reading of their story, a deeper understanding of Jesus' life, death, and Resurrection.

For each of us, there is a 'Galilee'—a place of origin for our faith journey, a place to rediscover the grace that touched us at the start of our walk with Jesus. This return helps us draw new strength from the sources of our faith.

The Lord is alive and calls us to seek Him among the living. Having found Him, we are sent to share the Easter message, to bring hope to those burdened by sadness and struggle. We must not proclaim ourselves, but, as joyful servants of hope, announce the Risen One through our lives and love. May we feel His presence and learn to look at each day with hope. Happy Easter!