Gospel Reflections for April 5 2026: Easter Sunday

Gospel for April 5 2026 – John 20:1-9

Gospel Reflections for April 5 2026

Love …no matter what!

The first Easter was the happy conclusion to a tragic week. 

On Thursday, Jesus gathered His disciples at the Last Supper, where he said the same Mass that we say today. Our Lord gets up to humbly wash His disciple’s feet from the dust common to people walking around town, even while knowing His closest friends would soon betray Him.

Next, He travels with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane where He is soon arrested and taken to local religious and government officials for trial. All His disciples run away. He is then falsely accused of various crimes and sent to Pilate, the Roman Governor, for execution.

He is violently tortured and then given a heavy cross to carry to His long and painful crucifixion. 

Jesus offered beautiful words and deeds all week only to face betrayal and torture. He had every right to say to His Father in Heaven, “These people are not worth it!” Instead He would say, “Nothing will stop me from being with the people I love. I will love them …no matter what!” 

Who would endure all this? Only someone for whom love can never be stopped by anything that other people do. Jesus never lets other people’s lack of love affect His love  for you. He was willing to go through all this suffering to offer you a path to your lasting happiness. Not even death on the cross could stop His love! That is the meaning of Easter.

Today we see bad behavior around the world, maybe even in your world. Do you feel like losing hope? Jesus never did. Nor should you.

Jesus was on a mission of love, and He would never let anyone get in the way of His showing it. Even while surrounded by evil people He remained true to His mission to love. That is your task as well today. Love, no matter what you face. 

Never let anyone’s lack of love affect your love. Always nourish it and keep it strong.

The shortest summary of our Catholic faith is that you love no matter what other people may do. Jesus never let others change His mission to love. Nor should you.

Only one person in all of human history has ever risen from the dead. That means Jesus is from God, which means He is worth taking seriously. The kind of love that Jesus offers can never be stopped by any human evil. His is the life to learn in our challenging world!

We often say this beautiful phrase today. “Have a Happy Easter.” It means to have that happiness now. Our faith is not nostalgia for the past but having the person of Jesus with you now. 

Decide to make this life of Jesus a daily practice every day, every week …and all year long!

Have a Happy Easter!

God Bless!

Fr. Dave