April 9, 2023, Easter Sunday (Year A)

One would think that most Christians, whether church goers or not, could give a brief summary of the events of Easter morning. The women proceed to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. When they arrive, they find the stone rolled away and the empty tomb. And they hurry back to tell their findings to the apostles. After this Jesus makes several appearances to disciples and followers. Well, this is indeed a general summary of the events of Easter Sunday. However, if we look closely at the various Gospels – Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John – we see quite a few details that differ in each.

First we have Mark, believed to be the earliest Gospel written. Mark has an interesting description of Easter morning. In fact, it has two separate endings. The first is the “short ending.” In this version, on the day after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bring spices to the tomb. While on the way they discuss who will roll the stone away for them. But when they arrive they find the stone already rolled aside and a young man dressed in dazzling white sitting in the tomb. The young man tells them that Jesus has been raised and that they should go and tell Peter and the other disciples to go to Galilee. But in this short version, the women run from the tomb and tell no one of their experience because they are afraid.

In this version the author of Mark must have thought the reader can come to his or her own conclusion about what happened to Jesus. The resurrection is merely implied and not explicitly described. And besides that, Jesus predicted his own passion and resurrection three times before his death.

Sometime during the second century C.E. the longer ending of Mark was added by someone other than the original evangelist who thought the incident deserved a more explanatory ending. This writer added an appearance of the risen Jesus to Mary Magdalene and two disciples walking along on their way to the country. Also added was a commissioning of the eleven to proclaim the gospel to the whole world ending with a description of the Ascension of Jesus.

Matthew’s Gospel is reworked and expanded when compared to Mark. The chief priests had guards posted at the tomb so that the disciples could not take and hide the body of Jesus and proclaim a falsified resurrection. But as Mary Magdalene and the “other” Mary approach the tomb there is a great earthquake when an angel in dazzling white rolls back the stone and sits on it. The guards were shaken and incapacitated by the sight while the angel explained that Jesus is risen, and the women should tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee.

The women flee out of fear again, but it is with joy this time because they actually meet Jesus on the way. As instructed, the eleven meet Jesus in Galilee and he commissions them to baptize people of all nations, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the meantime, the guards report to the chief priests what happened, and the chief priests pay the guards to remain quiet about the incident. While the empty tomb is a necessary assumption for Christian belief in the resurrection, by itself it does not prove the resurrection. Thus, Matthew saw the need to give this theme more detail in the retelling of the story.

Luke changes and adds some of his own unique details to the story. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James proceed to the tomb. They actually enter the tomb and find it empty. Present are two men in dazzling garments. They remind the women what Jesus had told them. That the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified and rise on the third day. The disciples are leery of the story that the women tell them. So, Peter runs to the tomb and upon seeing the burial garments alone he comes to believe.

In the meantime, Luke tells the story of the Road to Emmaus. While walking the two disciples have a conversation with Jesus without recognizing him as he interprets the scripture about himself to them. It is only when he dines with them that they recognize him in the breaking of the bread. Jesus also appears to the disciples and when they doubt what they are seeing, they give him a piece of fish and he eats it in front of them. These passages together allow the reader to realize that Jesus’ risen body is different, unrecognizable in some way. But he is still physically present with an actual body. He is not a ghost.

Finally, John has his unique changes to the story. Only Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb and finds the stone rolled away. No mention of anointing. Mary runs and reports to the disciples. Peter and the Beloved Disciple (a character found only in this Gospel and thought to be John himself) run to the tomb. The Beloved Disciple beats Peter to the tomb, but Peter enters first. Upon seeing the burial cloths, both are said to believe.

Mary Magdalene has her own meeting with Jesus, at first mistaking him for the gardener. She only recognizes Jesus when he calls her name. Then Jesus appears to ten of the disciples (Thomas is missing). He gives them peace and breathes the Holy Spirit on them. The following Sunday all are together with Thomas who believes that it is Jesus only after examining the wounds in his side and on his hands. A short conclusion completes the Resurrection scene with the author writing, “These [words] are written that you may [come to] believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name” (Jn. 20:31).

There is a final addendum in John where the disciples go fishing and suddenly they see Jesus on the beach preparing breakfast for them. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him, and three times Peter responds “yes.” This is to counteract the threefold denial of Jesus by Peter during the passion and trial.

The reason the readings are different is because the evangelists chose to emphasize different details for the sake of their audiences. It’s as if you would ask four different eyewitnesses of a car accident you might get four different stories, none of which are incorrect, but are just told from a different point of view,

Regardless of the story we prefer, Peter sums it all up nicely for us in the First Reading (Acts 10:34a, 37-43). Here we have Peter addressing a crowd giving a summary of the story of Jesus. How he preached and used the power of the Holy Spirit in multiple healings. How he was crucified but risen on the third day choosing the disciples to spread the message of his resurrection. And how the disciples are now giving witness to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

We are blessed to have varied stories of the Resurrection in order to help us know and believe the truth of this greatest of miracles. As the responsorial psalm suggests, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!”