Here, you will find a collection of reflections, guide questions, images and slide backgrounds — all crafted to enhance and elevate your celebration of Easter Sunday.
The Gist of John 20:1-9
Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb of Jesus early in the morning on the first day of the week. Distressed by this, she informs Peter and another disciple that the body of Jesus is missing. The two disciples rush to the tomb, find it empty, and believe in the resurrection after seeing the linen cloths lying there.
Looking in the Wrong Place
Mary and the disciples were looking for Jesus in the wrong place. They expected to find him in the tomb, where they had left him after his crucifixion. But they did not realize that he had risen from the dead and was alive. They were confused and sad, until they saw him with their own eyes and heard his voice.
Now, how does this relate to us? Well, think about how much time we spend on social media these days. We post pictures, videos, stories, and messages to share our lives with others. We like, comment, follow, and unfollow people we know or don’t know. We seek validation, attention, and connection from the online world. But are we really finding what we are looking for? Are we really building authentic, meaningful, and lasting relationships online? Or are we just looking for Jesus in the wrong place?
Not in the Empty Tomb
You see, social media can be a good thing, if we use it wisely and moderately. It can help us stay in touch with our friends and family, learn new things, and express ourselves. But it can also be a distraction, a temptation, and a trap. It can make us forget who we really are, what we really need, and who really loves us.
That’s why we need to remember the story of the empty tomb. We need to remember that Jesus is not in the tomb, but in our hearts. He is not in the likes, comments, or followers, but in the love, grace, and truth. He is not in the social media, but in the real world. He is alive, and he wants to have a personal relationship with each one of us.
Looking in the Right Place
So, let us not look for Jesus in the wrong place. Let us look for him in the right place. Let us look for him in the word of God, in the sacraments of the church, in the community of believers, and in the service of others. Let us look for him in prayer, in silence, and in gratitude. Let us look for him in our daily lives, in our joys and sorrows, in our hopes and fears, in our dreams and challenges.
And when we find him, let us not keep him to ourselves. Let us go and tell others that he is alive. Let us share his love, his peace, and his joy with the world. Let us be his witnesses, his disciples, his friends.
The empty tomb is not a final destination, but a starting point: the starting point of a journey that leads to the encounter with the risen Lord, who reveals himself to his disciples in various ways.
Pope Francis, Urbi et Orbi Message, Easter 2014
Reflective Questions for Spiritual Growth
- How do you react when you encounter an empty tomb, a situation where you expect to find Jesus but he is not there? Do you give up, doubt, or seek further?
- How do you recognize the presence of Jesus in your life, especially when he appears in unexpected ways? How do you listen to his voice and follow his instructions?
- How does the initial confusion and disbelief of Mary Magdalene and the disciples at the empty tomb parallel the sometimes elusive nature of authentic connections on social media? In what ways can we discern between superficial interactions and genuine relationships in our online interactions?
Free Social Images & Slides to Share
Feel free to download and share the following images on your social media platforms. Slide backgrounds are available for use in various presentation tools such as PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, and others:
