Today is the day that defines us as Christians. This is the day that we proclaim the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Jesus has shattered the power of sin and death forever. This is the central truth of our faith. If you do not believe in the reality and possibility of the resurrection then you are not a Christian.
It is important to remember that the first witnesses to the resurrection were the women disciples. This is not surprising because they showed greater fidelity to Jesus through his suffering and death than did the male disciples. The male disciples were not profiles in courage! Just remember the first leader of our church – St. Peter. He betrayed Jesus three times! The women, however, persevered in their faithfulness to Jesus. It is not surprising, therefore, that they were the first to visit his tomb and receive the joyous news of his resurrection. These women then became apostles – ones who are sent – as they were sent to the other disciples to share with them the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was not just this testimony that is our proof of the resurrection of Jesus. A more important proof is that the experience of the resurrected Christ transformed the fearful disciples, the fearful apostles, into fearless witnesses to Jesus Christ and to his Gospel. The courage with which the apostles preached the Gospel of Christ in spite of the violence they suffered and the hostility that they endured is powerful proof of the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the resurrected Christ, they found the strength and courage to give witness to Christ and to his Gospel.
If we truly believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and that we participate in his Risen life here and now through baptism, then we should give fearless proclamation of our faith in him by embodying in our lives his values – compassion and mercy for all, generosity in service, a genuine concern for the poor and the powerless, faithfulness to God. In this Easter season, may we be fearless in the witness we give to Christ and to the values of his Gospel!

Fr. Mark Hallinan, S.J.