The Empty Tomb: Why Your Faith Is Not in Vain

The readings for this homily

Father Matthew Tomeny, MIC, delivers a powerful message centered on Christ's Resurrection as the cornerstone of the Christian faith. He begins by contrasting the tombs of history's most consequential figures — such as Karl Marx in England, Friedrich Nietzsche in Germany, Muhammad in Saudi Arabia, and Buddha in China — with the empty tomb of Jesus in Jerusalem. While the bodies of these leaders remain in their graves, Christ's tomb stands empty, a testament to His victory over death. This distinction is not merely historical but theological; it is the very foundation upon which our hope for eternal life rests.

Father Matt invites the faithful to consider the humility required to truly come to terms with this mystery. He recounts a visit to a replica of the Holy Sepulchre at the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C., noting the extremely low entrance door. To enter the tomb, one must physically bow down, a physical act mirroring the spiritual posture necessary to believe in the Resurrection. Without humility, the heart remains closed to the evidence of God's power. Father Matthew warns that even when presented with undeniable proof, such as the testimony of the guards at the tomb or the eyewitness accounts of the Apostles, those with hardened hearts will choose to deny the truth and spread lies.

He addresses a troubling trend within modern theology, sharing a story from his time as a seminarian where a professor attempted to "de-mythologize" the Bible, suggesting that the Resurrection was merely a symbolic event or a collective vision rather than a physical reality. The professor dismissed the idea that Christ literally rose from the dead, operating from a materialistic worldview that denies the possibility of miracles. Father Matthew recalls a brave seminarian who challenged this view, asking if it was possible that Christ actually did rise. The professor's dismissal highlights a dangerous departure from the core tenets of the faith. As St. Paul warned, if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

Yet, the Resurrection is not just a past event; it is a living reality that continues to manifest through miracles. Father Matt shared a remarkable story from the life of St. Stanislaus Papczyński, the Founder of the Marian Fathers. He recounts a miracle from the saint's lifetime where a woman's daughter, who was on the brink of death, was brought back to life during Mass. Furthermore, he details the first miracle attributed to Saint Stanislaus for his beatification: the miraculous restoration of a fetus in the womb. A mother, facing a confirmed miscarriage with no heartbeat, prayed a novena to the then-Venerable Servant of God. On the ninth day, against all medical probability, the ultrasound revealed the baby was alive and growing. Doctors were astounded, and the Vatican confirmed this as a true miracle, proving that the power of the Resurrection is active even today.