FULL TEXT: Cardinal Tagle’s Easter homily

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle led a Mass late Saturday evening, March 26, to celebrate the most important feast in the Catholic Church – Easter. Below is Tagle’s homily during the Easter Vigil Mass at the Manila Cathedral, as transcribed by Rappler. 

All praise and thanksgiving and glory to our God. Jesus is truly risen. Alleluia! Happy Easter to all of you! 

When we have deep realities to reflect on and to celebrate, we can rely on symbols. The play of darkness and light. Later on we shall use water. The silence of the bells since Thursday. Then, joyful pealing with a song. Then, of course, your smiles. Please smile. We’re really covered live by TV Maria. International po ang coverage niyan kaya gandahan ‘nyo ang ngiti ng Pilipino sa Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay. 

And the readings that constitute the vigil, they speak about Creation, birthing into life, dignity, the calling to be fertile, to be fruitful, to multiply. The story of faith, obedience that saves. We have heard of liberation, vindication, with God leading his people. We heard about the covenant, restoration of a relationship, forgiveness of sin leading to plenty. Oh, overflowing grace. We heard about water, cleansing us, giving us new hearts, transforming not only individuals but also communities and people. Beautiful images, in contrast to what we celebrated yesterday. 

Yesterday, we ended the ceremony with the words, “And he was buried. They laid him in a tomb.” And the creed would continue, “He was buried, and descended into hell.” He descended in the place of the dead. Jesus was truly human. He embraced our condition, our weaknesses, our helplessness. He entered death. And just like any human being, the last moment of earthly existence is the tomb. That’s where earthly life ends – the tomb.

But Jesus was not just buried. He went to the place of the dead, what they call “under the earth,” a place farthest from God, the place that is the contrast of heaven, the place of God and life. In the place of the dead, there is no communication with God. Jesus was not only buried, he went to the place of the dead, and broke their isolation. Even to the dead, he offered salvation. He proclaimed the Good News.

Easter a time ‘to look for Jesus’

And in the Gospel that we heard, just proclaimed, the women went to the tomb, the place where they laid him to rest. And two messengers told them: “He is not here. Why are you looking for him here, in the place of the dead? He has been raised.” Has been raised by whom? By God. Yes, his earthly existence ended in the tomb, but new life came. This human Jesus has now entered the very life and power of God. 

He did not return to earthly life, the life that we know. If he just returned to earthly life, then one day he will die again. And there is no point to our faith, according to Saint Paul. And there is no point to our testimony. All the apostles will be considered liars, false prophets, if Jesus did not rise to the life of God. And that’s our faith. It is not just a return to life but entering into God’s very life. And possessing God’s life, Jesus is no longer confined to and determined by time and space. He can enter closed doors. He can penetrate closed and fearful hearts. He can walk with us, even if we do not recognize him. Oh, the life with God. 

Hindi lamang po bumalik si Hesus sa buhay na makalupa, ang buhay na alam natin. Siya ay binuhay muli ng Diyos, at ang taglay na niya ay buhay ng Diyos. Kaya minsan hindi na siya nakikilala. Minsan nakakatawid siya kahit sarado ang pintuan. New life in God. The one who was buried is no longer in the tomb. He does not belong to the dead. He is alive in God. He is truly the Son of God. And because of that, our faith is real. Our faith gives us sure hope. 

Sana po, tulad ng mga babae sa Ebanghelyo, hanapin natin si Hesus. The women went to the tomb early in the morning to look for Jesus. My dear brothers and sisters, Easter is a time to look for Jesus. Those who look for Jesus will find Jesus. The women who looked for him were blessed with an appearance of Jesus. You will find what you look for. Ano ba ang hanap natin? Si Hesus ba? Tanungin ang ating puso – siya nga ba ang ating laging hinahanap? Sabi noong kinanta nating salmo, “Like a deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul longs for you, my God.” 

‘Whom are we searching for?’

Ano bang hanap ng mga Pilipino? Ano ang hanap ng bayan na niligtas mula sa libingan, para may bagong buhay mula sa Diyos? Sasabihin ni San Pablo, “Since you have already been saved, and your life is hidden with Christ in God, seek the things of God. Hanapin si Hesus. Hanapin ang mga bagay na maka-Diyos. 

Tama na ‘yung palahanap ng ano, ho, ng walang katapusang kayamanan, kahit na magnakaw, mandaya, yumaman lamang.

Tama na ang paghahanap na parang gutom na gutom sa recognition – mapansin lang, masaya na, at kapag hindi napansin, parang inilibing.

Tama na ang paghahanap sa kapangyarihan na hindi naman gagamitin para sa paglilingkod; gagamitin lang naman pala para sa sariling kapakanan. Tama na, babalik na naman tayo niyan sa libingan. Hanapin si Hesus, at kapag hinanap si Hesus, hindi mo ililibing ang kapwa mo at ang bayan mo; dadalhin mo sila sa Diyos. What will we look for? Whom are we searching for?

Let us learn from the women. Those who accompanied Jesus during his mission, those who love Jesus. It is a search motivated by love. It is a search motivated by their attachment to the one who had loved them. And they were privileged to witness the power of the Resurrection.

But after searching for Jesus, and hopefully seeing him, thanks to his grace, go, like the women! Go to others! Tell them the Good News! Tell them that the tomb is empty! Tell them that Jesus has been raised by God! Tell them that God has triumphed. Tell them. 

Kapag tayo po ay tumatakbo, ano ba ang balita na dala-dala natin? “Huy, may sale, may sale! 50 percent!” “Uy, doon, doon, mura nang magpa-rebond!” “Uy, uy, uy, uy, nagsimba kami sa Manila Cathedral. Nakita ko si ganyan, ka-date si ganyan!” (laughter) ‘Pag tumatakbo tayo, ano ba ang balitang dala-dala natin? Baka ang mga balitang dala natin, balik na naman – sa libingan.

Tombs of vices, corruption

In a little while, we will renew our baptismal promises. According to Saint Paul, we have also died. The old person has already died. The old person dominated by sin has already been dead, but we are not there anymore. Thanks to baptism, the Risen Lord has also lifted us to live in God and for God. Get out of our tombs! Like Jesus, live in God. Live for God. Search for Christ. Proclaim him, and let our lives be patterned after the Resurrection. 

The tomb is empty. He does not belong to the dead. He lives.

Alam ko po na ang ating mundo ngayon, parang wala nang ginawa kundi gumawa ng marami pang libingan. Many signs of death. Not only physical death due to poverty, hunger, and wars, but also deaths of cultures. The death of profound wisdoms being killed by superficiality and cultures that pretend to be superior! There are many signs of killing, and tombs are decorated so that they don’t look like tombs. And so they attract people, and when you are already inside, akala mo, “Wow!” ‘Yun pala libingan.

How many people have been enticed to enter pearly gates which are really tombs? Tombs of vices. Tombs of illegal drugs. Tombs of corruption. Tombs of abuse of women, children, the helpless. Tombs of consumerism, materialism, human trafficking. All of these, new tombs, but they are presented like they are mansions, promising a good life, a good life, a successful life – but tombs. 

Please do not get discouraged. We know that the tomb is empty. We know that Jesus is alive, and he will not be touched by death again. We have to believe in that. We have to search for him, we have to see him, and we have to proclaim him. As guns and bombs make noise in the world, sing your alleluia! Don’t let the bombs and the gunfire dominate our alleluia.

‘Do not be intimidated’

When you see closed doors, when you see closed hearts, go and say, “Peace be with you” – the peace of the Risen Lord. Don’t be intimidated by fake walls, barriers. The Risen Lord can cross them, cross those barriers, bringing only your peace, the peace of the Risen Lord. Believe, please, believe. Otherwise, they will say, “He is still in the tomb.”

Nakita ‘nyo po ba ‘yung nangyari sa Brussels, Belgium? ‘Yung terrorist attack, ang daming namatay. Parang, eto na naman, the tomb. Ang dami na namang namatay, at maraming inililibing sa takot. Pero nakakatuwa ang pinakita ng mga Belgian. 

Noong isang araw, nakita ko sa TV, may isang tao sa sidewalk, nag-drawing ng maraming puso. Walang tigil na puso, para ‘yung mga maglalakad doon sa sidewalk, ang makita nila, puro puso, puro puso. At doon sa isang puso, may nakalagay: “Love will prevail.” Whoever did that was searching for Jesus, and has seen the power of the Resurrection, and is proclaiming it to people who have experienced the horror of death, affirming love will prevail. Love will prevail. 

Kanina po, may binisita ako na maysakit, 95 years old. Pero malinaw ‘yung isip. Sabi, “O Chito! Ay, ano nga ba ang tawag ko sa ‘yo, Father ba, Bishop ba?” “Naku, hayaan ‘nyo na, Chito na lang.” Hindi na siya makatayo. Nagkausap kami, nagdasal ako sa kanya. E nakasuot ako ng krus. Nakita niya ‘yung krus. E ‘di lumapit ako. Akala ko hahalikan. Alam ‘nyo ang ginawa niya? Kanyang daliri, hinawakan niya isa-isa ang mga sugat ni Hesus doon sa krus. ‘Yung ulo, dinampi niya sa ulo niya; ‘yung kamay, dinampi niya sa kamay niya. ‘Yung sa daliri niya, sa puso niya. Ta’s pumikit, nagdasal. Ta’s umalis na ako. Mamaya tinatawag ako uli, sabi niya, “Picture tayo. Hindi ka dapat umalis nang hindi tayo nagpi-picture.” 

Love prevails. Hope prevails. The Risen Lord bears the marks of his wounds, and through those wounds, a person, that with pain, knows there is meaning to what I’m going through. 

Jesus is truly risen. Let us search for him. We will find him. He will find us, and go to the rest of the world telling the Good News. Let us pause and welcome Jesus, who bears the life, the power of God. He comes to us. – Rappler.com