John 20, 1-9 is the first post-resurrection narrative in the Gospel of John. This story is proclaimed on the morning of every Easter Sunday.

However, if you notice, the story never mentions the appearance of the Risen Lord. What we read are disciples of the Lord who found the tomb empty.

Mary of Magdala went to the tomb early and saw that it was empty. She ran to the other disciples, telling them that “they have taken the Lord from the tomb.”

Peter saw not just the empty tomb but also the “burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.”

Finally, the disciple whom Jesus loved also went inside the tomb, saw it empty, and believed.

One obvious question that we can raise from the story is this: all three characters saw the tomb empty, but why is it that only the beloved disciple believed?

The key to answering our question lies in looking at the Greek words used for the actions of the three: Mary of Magdala blepei (to simply notice); Peter theōrei (to observe carefully); and the Beloved disciple eiden (to perceive with understanding).

Thus, we realize that in order for us to see the Risen Lord, we do not need to use our physical eyes but our eyes of faith.

How can we celebrate Easter amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, in the corruption scandal in our government today that has remained an investigation, and in the never-ending hike in the price of oil and other basic commodities?

Unless we see Easter like the Beloved Disciple, we cannot see the Risen Lord in our lives today.

Only faith makes us recognize the Risen Lord amidst the darkness of the night.

And so, as we continue to rejoice in the gift of Easter, let us ask the Father to INCREASE OUR FAITH so that even “through flowing tears, alleluia! Through growing fears, alleluia! Through the weariness of now, we still find a way somehow to sing alleluia, still we sing, alleluia!”