{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Homilies from the National Shrine","title":"The Empty Tomb: Why Your Faith Is Not in Vain - Fr. Matthew Tomeny | 4/6/26","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":823,"description":"The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040626.cfm\nFather 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.\nFather 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.\nHe 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...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/RyS-C2ZLvo8KH5NqfI6NL8IYJ95DYB9GdIPXRzHWFC4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzE3MzgyLzE2Mjc2/NTE3MjQtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}