The Unstoppable Witness

Voice over by Eliz

Acts 2:14.22-33, Psalm: 15, Mt 28:8-15

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

The joy of Easter morning continues to echo in our hearts. The stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and the world has been turned upside down. But as we bask in the light of the Resurrection, we are immediately confronted with a choice: Will we be witnesses to the truth, or will we collaborate with the lie?

In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter stands up on the day of Pentecost, filled with the Holy Spirit, and proclaims the bold truth. He addresses the people of Israel directly, reminding them of Jesus of Nazareth, “a man attested to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs.” Then comes the indictment: “You killed him using lawless men to crucify him.” But Peter does not stop there. The heart of his message is the good news: “God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death.” Peter and the apostles are witnesses to this reality. They saw Him. They touched Him. They ate with Him. And now, nothing can silence them. The fear that once sent them hiding behind locked doors has been burned away by the fire of the Resurrection. Peter’s witness is fearless, public, and uncompromising.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we see the other side of the story. The women, filled with fear yet great joy, run from the empty tomb to bring the news to the disciples. Suddenly, Jesus meets them. They embrace His feet and worship Him. Their fear is transformed into worship. But meanwhile, the chief priests and elders are busy constructing an alternative narrative. They bribe the soldiers, telling them to say, “His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.” Matthew notes wryly, “This story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.” The religious leaders, confronted with the empty tomb, chose the lie. They prefer a story they can control over a truth that will control them.

Here we have two responses to the Resurrection: worship and witness versus denial and deception. The apostles, once cowardly, become fearless proclaimers. The religious leaders, once powerful, become desperate conspirators.

Pope Benedict XVI once reflected, “The Resurrection is not a theory; it is a historical reality that breaks into the human condition.” It demands a response. St. Augustine famously said, “We are an Easter people, and ‘Alleluia’ is our song.” But singing Alleluia is easy; living as an Easter people is harder.

For us, the question this Easter Monday is simple: Which story will we believe? Will we, like Peter, become witnesses to the truth of the Resurrection in our daily lives? Will we let the joy of the empty tomb transform our fear into worship, like the women? Or will we settle for the safe, manageable lies—that death wins, that sin defines us, that change is impossible?

The Resurrection is not just an event we celebrate; it is a power we receive. It is the power to live differently, to love sacrificially, to hope against hope. This Easter week, let us choose the truth. Let us be witnesses. For the tomb is empty, and He is alive. Amen.

May God bless you all!