In all of the Gospel accounts, mention is made of the huge stone rolled across the entrance of Jesus' tomb after his burial. This seems to stand for the awful finality of death, the irreversible, dense facility of it.
But in Jesus' victorious resurrection, that stone is effortlessly rolled away.
This subtle but important action highlights why each Sunday is our victory day. The power that held us ransom has been overthrown; the dark cloud that has brooded over our lives, turning us in on ourselves and outward in violence and sin, has been removed.
Now we can sing, "Death and sorrow, earth's dark story, to the former days belong." And, "Where the Paschal blood is poured, Death's dark angel sheaths his sword."
With Paul, we can mock the former lord of the world: "Death where is thy sting?" And with the psalmist we can say-now at full pitch-"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Jesus rolls away the stone of death and brings to that dark place the light of God.
- Father Robert Barron
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