Easter Vigil (C)

Readings:

1. Various Readings
2. Romans 6.3-11
   Psalm 118.1-2, 16-17, 22-23.  Response:  “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia”
3. Luke 24.1-12

[Note:  Many parishes use the readings from Cycle A during Lent and Easter. In that case the Gospel for the Vigil would be Matthew 28:1-10.  The Gospel for the Mass of Easter Day is always John 20:1-9.]

Reflections on the Gospel Reading

The center of today’s gospel reading is the Easter proclamation:  “Why do you seek the living one among the dead?  He is not here, but he has been raised.”¹  What is the source of the women’s faithful response?  Not an appearance of the risen Lord.  In Luke’s gospel that comes later when the two disciples on the way to Emmaus recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread.  Not the empty tomb.  Peter inspects the empty tomb and goes away “amazed at what had happened” but not believing.  As Eugene LaVerdiere observes, for Peter the empty tomb was not a proof of the resurrection but only a source of wonderment.  Why did the women believe and become apostles to the apostles?

In Luke’s narrative the answer lies in the two men who appeared to the women in dazzling garments.  Who were these men, and why were they so persuasive?

Were they angels?  Undoubtedly, they were.  Not in the sense of winged creatures flying back and forth between heaven and earth, but in the biblical sense of messengers.  And what a message they proclaimed:  “He is not here, but he has been raised.”  However, who were these messengers?  Why two?

LaVerdiere thinks Luke might have been referring to two of the seventy disciples whom Jesus had sent before him on his journey to Jerusalem.  (Luke 10.1)  He notes that two disciples arranged Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19.29-35); two disciples, Peter and John, arranged the Passover meal (Luke 22.8); two disciples, who had turned back to Jerusalem from Emmaus after recognizing Jesus, returned to tell the news to the eleven and their companions (Luke 24.13-35); and two men in white garments interpreted the meaning of the ascension (Acts 1.10-11).

LaVerdiere thinks that this is a retrojection of the catechetic and prophetic roles that elders performed in the early Christian community.  The mission of Christian elders was “to interpret events in the light of the message which Jesus had spoken during his historical life and to help the Christians to orient their search for the Lord properly as they pursue their journey to God.” (1990, 281) Very likely, Luke is reflecting the church organization of his time in the way he tells the resurrection story.  But, there is more.

Luke has left us a verbal clue of another interpretation of the two men at the tomb in his reference to their “dazzling” garments.  Recall Luke’s account of the Transfiguration (Gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent [C]) just before Jesus set off on his journey to Jerusalem.  Jesus’ clothing became “dazzling white.”²  The three disciples saw Jesus’ glory “and the two men standing with him.” (Luke 9.32)  The implication is that all three were dressed in dazzling white clothing.  The two men, Moses and Elijah, were speaking with Jesus about “his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.” (Luke 9.31)  Who better to proclaim the outcome of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem?

Continuing the connection with Luke’s version of the Transfiguration, it should be pointed out that the angels’ words:  “Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee ….” (that is, before setting off on the journey to Jerusalem) harken back to the voice from heaven saying:  “This is my chosen son; listen to him.”  Just before the Transfiguration scene Jesus says:  “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Luke 9.22 NRSV. Emphasis mine.)  It is part of the theme of prophecy and fulfillment that runs through his Gospel. At the empty tomb the witness of Moses and Elijah confirms the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy that he would be raised on the third day. (Regarding the theme of prophecy and fulfillment in Luke, see L. T. Johnson 1991, 17-21; Fitzmeyer 1981, 180; and Conzelmann 1961, 159 note 1.)

What Luke seems to be saying is that the Hebrew Scriptures are the key to the meaning of the empty tomb.  Moses and Elijah are the dazzling witnesses to the resurrection.  Jesus, the living one, fulfills what is said in the Law and the Prophets.  This is in line with the most ancient witness that Christ “was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures . . . .” (1 Corinthians 15.4)  It is also in line with the most recent proclamation of our faith when we proclaim in the Creed that Jesus “rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”

All of this is confirmed by another story that is found only in Luke’s Gospel, the story of the rich man and Lazarus. (Luke 16.19-31)  The rich man in torment in Hades asks Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his five living brothers.  He argues that “if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.”  Abraham replies, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

The situation of Luke’s audience was similar to that of the women at the tomb.  They were challenged to believe in the resurrection without seeing the body of Jesus either living or dead.  By the time Luke wrote, most, if not all, of the eyewitnesses of the risen Lord had died.  What could validate the proclamation of the resurrection that had been handed down from them?  The early Church looked to the witness of Scripture, that is, the sacred writings of the People of Israel – what we call the Old Testament.  The clinching argument for the belief that “Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.” is that it is in accordance with the Scriptures.  For those who are steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures, the paschal message rings true.

As we observe the Christian Passover (the three day remembrance of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, which culminates with the Easter celebration) we need to reflect on how much we have in common with our Jewish sisters and brothers.  Centuries of prejudice have made it difficult to celebrate our common roots in the Scriptures we share.  Everything from the Easter ham to the Christian rules for determining the date of Easter³ works against it.  The Gospel reading cuts through all of this.  Today, as we stand beside the women at the empty tomb, we are called to respond in faith to the shining witness of Moses and Elijah who proclaim the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

---

In preparing these reflections, in addition to the biblical texts, I consulted the following works:

Conzelmann 1961 – Hans Conzelmann, The Theology of St. Luke, translated by Geoffrey Buswell (Philadelphia:  Fortress Press, 1961)

Fitzmyer 1981 – Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke I-IX : Introduction, Translation, and Notes.  Anchor Bible Volume 28. (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1981)

Fitzmyer 1985 – Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke X-XXIV : Introduction, Translation, and Notes (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1985) Pp. 17-21, 1532-1548.

Johnson 1991 – Luke Timothy Johnson, The Gospel of Luke , Sacra Pagina Series Volume 3, A Michael Glazier Book (Collegeville, MN:  The Liturgical Press, 1991), pp. 386-391.

LaVerdier 1990 – Eugene, LaVerdier, S.S.S., Luke.  New Testament Message, Volume 5.  A Michael Glazier Book  (Collegeville, MN:  The Liturgical Press, 1990), pp. 280-282.

Malina  & Rohrbaugh 1992 – Bruce J. Malina and Richard L. Rohrbaugh, Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels  (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992), p. 410.

Mitchell 2001 – Joan Mitchell, CSJ, “Easter Sunday,” Sunday by Sunday, Vol. 10, No. 29, April 15, 2001.

Pilch 1997 – John J. Pilch, The Cultural World of Jesus, Sunday by Sunday,  Cycle  C .  A Liturgical Press Book (Collegeville, MN:  The Liturgical Press, 1997), pp. 67-69.

---