Easter Tuesday continues the great Octave of Easter. The Church meditates on Christ's appearances to his disciples and the transformation that the Resurrection brings to those who believe.
One of the Gospel readings for the Easter Octave recounts Jesus' appearance to Mary Magdalene:
"Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?' She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.' Jesus said to her, 'Mary." — John 20:15-16
Mary did not recognize Jesus until he spoke her name. Then everything changed.
Throughout the Easter Octave, the Acts of the Apostles is read alongside the Gospels. We hear Peter's bold preaching:
"This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses." — Acts 2:32
The same disciples who fled in fear on Good Friday now proclaim the Resurrection fearlessly. What changed? They had seen the risen Lord.
The Church emphasizes that the Resurrection was not a metaphor or a spiritual experience. Jesus rose bodily from the dead:
This is the foundation of Christian faith. As Paul wrote, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17).
Each day of the Octave invites us to reflect on how the Resurrection transforms our lives:
For the newly baptized, this week continues their "mystagogia"—the unfolding of the mysteries they have received. They reflect on their baptism, confirmation, and first Eucharist, growing in understanding of the new life they have entered.