LUKE 24:1–12
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
Text – Luke 24:1–12
1 But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.
2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb;
3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.
5 They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead?
6 He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee,
7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.”
8 And they remembered his words.
9 Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.
10 The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles,
11 but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them.
12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.
Historical and Jewish Context
Burial spices were brought to honor the dead, revealing that the women expected to find a body, not an empty tomb. The first day of the week marks a new beginning in salvation history. Angels, described as men in dazzling garments, serve as divine witnesses. Women, whose testimony held little legal weight in Jewish society, are chosen by God as the first heralds of the Resurrection, underscoring the divine initiative at work.
Catholic Theological Perspective
The Resurrection is the central truth of the Christian faith and the foundation of hope (CCC 638). Jesus is not merely resuscitated but raised to a new, glorified life. The empty tomb and angelic proclamation confirm that death has been conquered. The disbelief of the apostles reflects the reality of human struggle with faith, while Peter’s amazement marks the beginning of apostolic witness grounded in encounter and transformation.
Parallels in Scripture
Ps 16:10 – God will not abandon His holy one to the grave.
Is 25:8 – Death is swallowed up forever.
Mt 28:1–10 – Parallel Resurrection account.
Jn 20:1–10 – Peter and the beloved disciple at the empty tomb.
1 Cor 15:14 – If Christ has not been raised, faith is in vain.
Key Terms
First Day of the Week – The dawn of the new creation and the Christian day of worship.
Empty Tomb – The sign that Christ has conquered death.
Angels – God’s messengers who proclaim the Resurrection.
Witness – The mission entrusted first to the women and then to the apostles.
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This passage is proclaimed during the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. It inaugurates the fifty days of Easter joy. Sunday worship flows from this event, celebrating Christ’s victory over sin and death.
Conclusion
The tomb is empty, the Lord is risen, and history is transformed. What began in fear and confusion ends in amazement and mission. The Resurrection reveals that God’s promises are fulfilled and life has triumphed over death.
Reflection
Do I seek the living Christ in my daily life or remain among the signs of death?
Am I open to God’s surprising ways of revealing truth?
The risen Lord calls me to believe, rejoice, and proclaim.
Prayer
Risen Lord, fill my heart with Easter faith and joy. Help me to trust in Your victory over death and to live as a witness to Your Resurrection each day. Amen.