After the crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples were in hiding, sad and afraid. Their Master was dead, and all their hopes seemed to be over.

The women who followed Jesus were in mourning too. On the Sabbath they rested, as Jewish law commanded. But as soon as the Sabbath was over, they began preparing perfumes and spices to anoint the body of Jesus.

On the first day of the week, very early, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene and the other women went to the tomb carrying what they had prepared. Along the way, they wondered who would roll away the stone from the entrance for them, for it was very large and heavy.

But when they arrived and looked, they saw that the stone, that enormous stone, had already been rolled away.

There had been a great earthquake. An angel of the Lord had come down from heaven, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards watching the tomb trembled with terror and became like dead men.

But the angel said to the women:

Jesus was not there. The tomb was empty.

The women went into the tomb and saw the linen cloths in which the body of Jesus had been wrapped, but the body was not there. While they were trying to understand, they saw two men in shining garments. They were angels, and the women bowed down to the ground in fear. But the angels said:

Then they remembered the words of Jesus. He had said he would rise on the third day.

The angels told them to go quickly and tell the disciples. The women ran from the tomb, afraid and at the same time filled with an enormous joy. Jesus was alive.

As they ran, suddenly Jesus appeared before them and greeted them. The women drew near, held his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said to them:

Mary Magdalene and the others ran to tell the disciples that they had seen the Lord alive.

When Peter and John heard that the tomb was empty, they ran there. John was faster and arrived first; he looked inside and saw the linen cloths, but did not go in. Peter arrived just after and went into the tomb. He saw the cloths, and also the cloth that had covered Jesus' head, folded up in a place by itself.

Then John went in too. He saw and believed. Until that moment, they had not yet understood the Scripture, which said that Jesus must rise from the dead. But now the tomb was empty, and everything was beginning to make sense.

That same afternoon, two disciples were walking to a village called Emmaus, talking sadly about everything that had happened. As they talked, Jesus came near and began to walk with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

"What are you talking about along the way?" Jesus asked.

They stopped, their faces sad, and one of them, named Cleopas, answered:

"Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened these days?"

And they told him about Jesus of Nazareth: how he had been crucified, how they had hoped he would be the savior of Israel, and how, that morning, some women were saying he was alive.

Then Jesus explained to them that the Christ had to suffer all these things in order to enter into his glory. And beginning with Moses and going through all the prophets, he showed them everything the Scriptures said about him.

When they came near the village, Jesus acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him:

"Stay with us, for it is late."

Jesus went in to stay with them. When they were at the table, he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them.

It was Jesus, alive. And in that same instant, he vanished from their sight.

The two said to each other that their hearts had been burning within them while Jesus spoke to them on the road and explained the Scriptures. They got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven apostles gathered together, and told them how they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread.

That same night, the disciples were gathered with the doors locked, out of fear. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in their midst and said:

The disciples were startled, thinking they were seeing a spirit. But Jesus showed them his hands and his feet, with the marks of the nails, and his side, and told them that a spirit does not have flesh and bones. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord.

Jesus breathed on them and said:

Thomas, one of the twelve, was not with them that night. When the others told him they had seen the Lord, he answered:

"Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Eight days later, the disciples were gathered again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked. Jesus appeared, wished them peace, and said to Thomas:

"Put your finger here, and see my hands. Reach out your hand and touch my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believe."

Thomas answered:

And Jesus said that blessed are those who believe without having seen.

For forty days, Jesus appeared many times to his disciples. He ate with them, taught them, and prepared them for the mission to come. Once, he appeared to more than five hundred people at the same time. He showed that he was truly alive: he was not a ghost, he had a real body, he could eat and be touched. But it was also a glorious, transformed body, one that could appear and disappear, and enter through locked doors. He was the same Jesus, risen and glorified.

The resurrection is the center of our faith. It shows that Jesus really is the Son of God, that death had no power over him, and that our sins can be forgiven. And it shows something more: as Jesus rose, all who believe in him will also rise one day. However hard things may seem, life conquers death, and light conquers darkness.

The resurrection of Jesus is the best news of all, and that is why we celebrate Easter with such joy. Christ is risen! He is truly risen. And because he lives, we too shall live.