Psalm Reflection: The Resurrection of the Lord, Easter Sunday - Cycle C

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” - Psalms 118

My son is very quick to overreact to circumstances saying, “this is the best day ever!” followed shortly thereafter by “this is the worst day ever!” as soon as something he does not like happens. In his naivety, he is unable to see things from any other perspective other than his own immediate reaction.

As I read the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, my first reaction was one of cynicism. I could hear this voice in my head saying, “it must be nice to be able to rejoice and ignore all the bad things going on!” It hit me out of nowhere and, whether it was a spiritual attack or my own mind, it reminded me of what I have often heard from others who find it difficult to reconcile their lives with the idea of an all-loving God.

These attitudes of naivety and cynicism can be detrimental to our spiritual lives and our ability to experience joy, because we are neglecting the invitation to be who God created us to be. 

The word naivety comes from the Latin word nativus, which means, ‘native’ or ‘natural.’ The word cynic originally referred to a member of a school of ancient Greek philosophers founded by Antisthenes, who were known to have contempt for ease and pleasure. It also means ‘doglike’ or ‘churlish’, from the Greek word kuōn meaning ‘dog.’

When we adopt these attitudes we are, in a sense, deferring to our own natural, animal-like impulses, instead of seeing things from a more constructive perspective. Life is messy, hard, difficult, painful, and requires sacrifice. But life is also good, joyful, beautiful, and full of love. 

We choose every day the lens through which we will see the world, and we choose whether or not we let that perspective change based on our mood, our circumstances, or when unexpected things occur. When we are always reactive, we are no different from animals. 

When animals are hungry, they find food. 

When animals are scared, they run.

When bad things happen, animals attack or cry and hide. 

We are made differently, and yet we choose to act the same way.

We can fast. We can face our fears. We can choose to see life from an elevated perspective and to understand that we have a reason to rejoice and be glad every single day, regardless or what our life looks like. 

Easter is a reminder to us that God can turn your Good Friday into an Easter Sunday. God can turn your suffering into a means for your sanctification.

He can turn your fear into trust, your despair into hope, and your doubt into faith.

The tomb is empty not so we can fill it back up with our worries and anxieties. 

The tomb is empty to remind us that God has defeated sin and death, so we no longer need to fight the battle. Jesus already won.

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? - 1 Corinthians 15:55

The only thing that can separate us from the love of God and the joy that Easter has given us, is us. We can choose to look at life with cynicism and naivety, or we can choose to embrace a new perspective: one that looks at the empty tomb as the end of sin and death, and the beginning of new life for each one of us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39

I am praying for you, please pray for me and my family, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, April 20th, 2025, The Resurrection of the Lord, Easter Sunday - Cycle C: Psalms 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23.