By Scott Kieffer
As college students we are always thinking about our future. We have most of our lives before us, and we have probably been planning and preparing for a while (which is why we are in college). Like Mary Magdalene that morning, we are moving about our lives with a plan. But just as Mary found an empty tomb, things do not always go as we planned. And just like Mary, we get upset, we fear the worst, we jump to conclusions.
But just because things didn’t go as planned, doesn’t mean they went badly. When Peter and the disciple arrived, they had faith that something good had happened. And once they knew the full story and could look back, they saw the positive outcomes.
We see this different outlook from the reading in Acts. Here Peter is not afraid or upset, nor is he confused anymore. He has learned the full story, and has been able to reflect on past events. In retrospect, he sees that good came from what happened at the tomb - and from Jesus’ crucifixion. He is now confident and hopeful as he looks to the future (the hope of salvation), and invites his listeners to look forward with him.
This Easter, take some time to reflect back on your time at college, as Peter does in Acts. Maybe dropping that course gave you more free time, so you could improve your relationships or learn a new hobby. You missed getting tickets for a concert, but had a great conversation with a friend instead. You had a rough breakup, but now you’ve found someone you’re in love with.
Chances
are, all of the bad things that have happened in our lives have had good
effects too. Whether they made us stronger, scared us away from a destructive
path, or just opened up new opportunities, there was always an angel at each
empty tomb.
Scott Kieffer is a senior at TCNJ and President of Catholic Campus Ministry Club of the college
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