When we read the apparition stories, we are assured that one day we too will be raised from death. But to the people of Jesus’ time, his apparition to his apostles after his death attested to the truth of his statement. After the raising of Lazarus from the dead, he told the people that he would be killed and after three days, he would rise from the dead for the life of the world.
He rewarded the women who got the news of his resurrection from the angel and obeyed the angel’s instruction to go and tell his apostles to go to Galilee where he would meet them. Jesus met these women with his greeting of “PEACE” According to the evangelist he even allowed them to kiss his feet. On the other hand the evangelist Matthew recounts that the guards at the tomb went to inform the chief priest what happened. The chief priest told the guards to tell a different story to save themselves from the wrath of Pilate. And this is what is being circulated up to this time – that the disciples went to steal the body of Jesus at night. Yes, such things can happen and the liars are still telling lies. May we not fall into the same action of telling lies just to save ourselves.
Now, Jesus completes his mission. Through his apostles and us as followers of Jesus, his mission of making the Father known continues to be preached. This is the mission he has left to all believers – to tell the world about God’s love and his Fatherhood to all creation.
As Jesus rewarded the women who believed in him, he rewards us too with the gift of the Holy Eucharist.