Homily given by Bishop Anthony Randazzo
Bishop of Broken Bay
Easter Sunday 2025
20 April 2025
My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Christ is risen. Alleluia!
Today, the tomb is empty. The stone has been rolled away. Death has been conquered. Life has won. And this, this radiant, astonishing truth, is the heart of our Christian faith: That Jesus Christ, crucified and buried, is risen from the dead, and in him, hope is born anew.
Now I know that word “hope” can sometimes sound too soft, too sentimental, especially in a world that often feels like it is fraying at the edges.
People today are burdened. Many are searching for peace in their families, for security in their work, for a future they can trust. The rising cost of living, tensions across nations, the anxieties that quietly settle into our everyday lives, they can dim our vision.
And yet, Easter morning comes, and with it this truth breaks through the shadows: Hope is not a feeling. Hope is a person. And His name is Jesus.
In our first reading this morning from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard Peter proclaim it boldly:
“They killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life.” (Acts 24:39-40)
This was not just good news for Peter and the apostles. It was the turning point of human history. It is good news for you. For your family. For every human heart.
Jesus did not rise so that we could escape this world. He rose to redeem it. Jesus Christ rose from the dead to walk with us, even now, into the mess and beauty of daily life, so that our suffering would not be the final word.
This is the hope we proclaim: not wishful thinking, but a hope that sustains, strengthens, and saves.
In the Gospel according to John, we see Mary Magdalene arriving at the tomb while it was still dark.
She comes to mourn, more than likely weeping and heartbroken. And what does she find? Not a sealed grave. Not a body. But a sign of life. An absence that speaks louder than presence: “He is not here. He is risen.”
For some people, even now, the world sometimes feels like that tomb, confusing, empty, uncertain. But Easter declares: Christ is alive. And because Jesus lives, hope is never out of reach.
But let us be honest. There is another challenge we must face as believers.
In our time, many people hesitate to believe in eternal life, not because it is too good to be true, but because they are not sure they want it at all. To live forever? Endlessly? It can sound more like a burden than a blessing.
And perhaps the reason is this: many do not yet know what eternal life really means.
Eternal life is not merely the extension of this life. It is not a longer version of the same.
It is a regeneration, a transformation into the very life of God. A life not limited by fear, or pain, or loneliness. A life full, overflowing: with love, truth, beauty, and joy.
Faith is the substance of that hope. And when we believe, not just with our minds, but with our hearts, we discover that eternal life is not only a future promise, but a present grace.
Yes, my brothers and sisters, the Christian faith is for today. It is life changing. It is life-sustaining. And in a world that seems to offer endless distractions but little lasting peace, Jesus Christ offers more, a life that never ends, a joy that does not fade, and a hope that does not disappoint.
My dear people, in this Holy Year of Hope, let Easter not pass by like just another feast.
Let it awaken something in you. Let it rekindle your faith. Let it bring peace to your home. Let it renew your courage to face the days ahead, not alone, but with Jesus Christ, who walks beside you. For the tomb is empty. And Christ is alive.
Jesus is our hope. He is our future. He is Our Lord and Saviour who is with us, now and always. Alleluia. Amen.