So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.

John 20: 3-8

Here are the complete readings for Sunday, April 20, 2025.

(“The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre on the Morning of the Resurrection” by Eugene Burnand)

The gift of Easter is the revelation that it is impossible for us to be separated from the Divine Love. We may turn away today or tomorrow, but God is still present and joyfully in our midst. In today’s Gospel, the disciples, female and male, experience this belief-they understand that they are connected to God forever, and this bond is stronger than anything that pulls us away from this great mystery. Here and now, whatever our present reality may be, we will experience periods of sorrow and pain. It is part of being human. That does not go away on Easter or Christmas or on any day in Ordinary Time. The miracle of the resurrection is our understanding that our connection to the Holy is not going anywhere either. How shall we respond to this Good News?

 
Be patient, therefore, with yourself and with God.
If you allow yourself
to be formed by God
through the common,
ordinary,
unspectacular
flow of everyday life,
you will gradually experience
a liberation and a freedom
never before imagined.
Stand ready to answer
when asked
if you are available for God
to become more present in your life
and through you to the world
Like Mary,
may you willingly respond:
Let what you have said be done to me!

 – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, we praise you and glorify you, for you live forever and ever. Through our actions and our relationships, may we boldly proclaim the Gospel to all we meet in our journey of life.

Amen

(“The Empty Tomb” by Richard Bavin)