The Resurrection of the Lord

Hope Breaks Though

WHILE IT WAS STILL DARK

God of light and hope, as Mary stood before the empty tomb on the first Easter Sunday, grieving and uncertain, you were already at work, bringing life from death. In our own moments of loss and doubt, help us to see the signs of hope breaking through, even when we do not yet understand. Fill us with courage to believe in your love and the promise of new life, leading us from darkness into the dawn of your resurrection. Amen.

Share a time when you had to move forward even though you couldn’t see clearly.

Maryknoll Sister Elsie Monge in Ecuador. (Maryknoll Sisters)

It can be difficult to find hope in the midst of poverty and oppression. Maryknoll Sister Elsie Monge finds hope in difficult situations. She is the director of the Ecumenical Commission for Human Rights in Ecuador, has long been a steadfast advocate for justice, giving voice to marginalized communities suffering from oppression. Committed to ensuring basic human dignity, she works so that “everyone has breakfast,” while empowering individuals to rise above injustice. Sister Elsie has fought against the exploitation of indigenous and campesino groups, providing legal support, human rights education, and organizing efforts to defend those whose rights have been violated. As president of Ecuador’s Truth Commission (2007–2010), she led investigations into state human rights abuses, producing a comprehensive report that earned her a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Her unwavering dedication to justice continues to find and foster new life, and helps communities overcome adversity and build a future rooted in dignity and hope.

(Breakfast on Easter Sunday: A Maryknoll Reflection, Maryknoll Magazine, March 30, 2024)

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 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. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. John 20:1-9

The Gospel reading for Easter Sunday begins in darkness—not with the triumphant imagery of resurrection, but with the emptiness of the tomb. Even today, we experience this darkness in the inhumanity that pervades our political and social fabric, in the ignorance that strains human relationships. The first light of resurrection feels more like Good Friday than Easter Sunday.

Yet as surely as dawn breaks, Christ rises—but this truth is understood gradually. God works through us even when we do not yet fully comprehend God’s plan, just like Mary of Magdala, who carried the news of the resurrection to the disciples without fully understanding it. As missionary disciples, we, too, are called to move forward in faith with the hope of something we don’t always fully understand. Nonetheless, our acts of faith will break through the darkness, revealing the light of Christ in the world.

Like Mary of Magdala, in what ways is the Spirit inviting you to share the good news of new life where things feel uncertain?

This week, find a concrete way to share the hope of Christ’s resurrection with those who are most overlooked and struggling. Visit a homeless shelter, a nursing home, or a street ministry, and bring your full presence to the encounter. Actively listen to their stories, learn their names, and seek to understand their needs. By being fully present, become a vessel of God’s love and mercy, offering hope in the midst of uncertainty.

God of hope and new life, inspire us like Mary of Magdala to act with love and compassion. May our lives reflect the light of Jesus, breaking through uncertainty and bringing peace to all we encounter. Strengthen us to be messengers of justice and mercy, fully present to those in need, so that through our faith, we may become signs of new life in the world. Amen.