He is Risen: The Empty Tomb That Changed Everything

In the stillness of early morning, before the sun had stretched its light across the land, Mary of Magdala approached the tomb. Her heart was heavy, her soul cloaked in grief. What she found, however, was not what she expected: the stone had been rolled away.

In that moment, confusion and fear overtook her. “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” With trembling urgency, she ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple. What unfolded next was not merely the discovery of an empty grave—it was the spark that ignited the greatest message humanity has ever heard.

Peter and John ran to the tomb. One stooped, hesitant; the other entered boldly. They saw the burial cloths, the rolled-up head covering, and slowly, belief began to stir. It wasn’t fully understood yet, but something had changed. The story wasn’t over—it was just beginning.

As our pastor shared so poignantly, what Mary and the Apostles encountered that day was more than an empty space—it was a divine declaration that death no longer held the final word. What seemed like a tragic end was the most glorious new beginning.

Mary, the grieving woman who went to anoint a lifeless body, became the first to proclaim the Resurrection. Her sorrow was turned into joy, and her tears became testimony. Her encounter with the risen Christ made her the first apostle of the Easter message: “I have seen the Lord!”

And the Apostles? Once hidden in fear behind locked doors, they were transformed. Their fear melted away when Jesus appeared to them, bearing the wounds of love and speaking peace. He breathed on them the Holy Spirit, commissioning them to continue His mission. These men who once ran away now ran toward the world with boldness. They no longer spoke of loss; they preached victory.

This transformation was no illusion. As St. John later wrote, their message was rooted in what they saw, heard, and touched (1 John 1:1-4). As St. Paul reminded us, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14). But Christ has been raised—and that truth changes everything.

Because of Easter, we have hope in the face of despair, peace in the middle of our storms, and life, eternal and abundant, because the tomb is empty. And just like the disciples, we are called to live transformed lives—no longer bound by fear but empowered by faith.

We are Resurrection people.

As St. Paul urges us in Colossians 3:1, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is.” Let us do just that.

Let us carry the light of Easter into every dark place. Let our lives testify not to a crucified victim, but to a victorious Savior. Let our words, actions, and love proclaim the same message Mary carried from the tomb:

Alleluia, Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!