RCIA Session 6 – The Resurrection of Jesus Christ – The Central Fact of the Faith

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ — The Central Fact of the Faith

RCIA – Week 6
This session forms part of a structured introduction to the Catholic Faith used in parish RCIA. It is intended to be read slowly and prayerfully, alongside participation in the life of the Church. This material is offered for formation and reflection. Reception into the Catholic Church always involves personal discernment and parish accompaniment.

Aim of this session

By the end of this session, participants should understand that:

  • the Resurrection is the central claim of the Catholic Faith
  • it is presented as a real historical event, not a symbol
  • the entire authority of Jesus Christ depends upon it
  • the Church rests on this fact or falls without it
  • belief in the Resurrection is reasonable, not naïve

This session brings the opening inquiry to its decisive point.

1. Why the Resurrection Matters

Everything so far has led to this question:

Did Jesus Christ rise from the dead?

If He did not:

  • His claims collapse
  • His miracles are misinterpreted
  • His authority is false
  • the Church has no foundation

If He did:

  • God has confirmed His claims
  • death has been conquered
  • His authority is absolute

The Resurrection is not an optional belief.
It is the foundation.

2. What Is Meant by “Resurrection”?

The Resurrection does not mean:

  • a spiritual survival
  • a memory living on
  • a symbol of hope

It means this:

Jesus Christ truly died and truly rose again, body and soul.

The same body that was crucified:

  • was laid in the tomb
  • was no longer there
  • appeared alive again

The Church insists on this realism because anything less explains nothing.

Penny Catechism

Q. Did Jesus Christ rise from the dead?
A. Yes, Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day.

This is stated as fact, not metaphor.

3. The Death of Jesus Christ Is Certain

Before asking whether He rose, we must be clear that He truly died.

Jesus Christ:

  • was publicly executed
  • suffered a Roman method of death
  • was declared dead
  • was buried

There was no secrecy.
There was no doubt among friend or enemy.

The Resurrection claim begins with a real death.

4. The Empty Tomb

The first fact proclaimed is simple:

The tomb was empty.

This was:

  • known publicly
  • acknowledged by opponents
  • never successfully denied

Alternative explanations fail:

  • the body was not produced
  • the authorities did not refute the claim
  • theft explains nothing about appearances

An empty tomb alone does not prove the Resurrection,
but without it, the Resurrection could not be proclaimed.

5. The Appearances of the Risen Lord

After the empty tomb came appearances.

Jesus Christ appeared:

  • to individuals
  • to groups
  • repeatedly
  • over time

These appearances were:

  • physical, not visionary
  • unexpected, not imagined
  • transformative, not comforting fantasies

Those who fled in fear:

  • became witnesses
  • accepted suffering
  • refused to deny what they had seen

Hallucination does not account for:

  • multiple witnesses
  • shared experiences
  • lasting conviction under persecution

6. The Transformation of the Witnesses

Before the Resurrection:

  • the disciples were afraid
  • scattered
  • defeated

Afterwards:

  • they proclaimed openly
  • accepted imprisonment and death
  • gained nothing materially

People may die for what they believe is true.
They do not die for what they know is false.

The transformation of the witnesses demands explanation.

7. The Rise of the Church

The Church did not arise gradually as a philosophy.

She appeared suddenly:

  • proclaiming the Resurrection
  • centred on Jesus Christ
  • united in belief

She did not preach:

  • a moral programme
  • a vague spirituality

She preached:

Jesus Christ is risen.

This proclamation changed history.

8. Faith and the Resurrection

Faith in the Resurrection is not:

  • blind belief
  • emotional need
  • wishful thinking

Faith is:

Assent to a fact revealed by God and confirmed by witnesses.

Penny Catechism

Q. Why did Jesus Christ rise from the dead?
A. Jesus Christ rose from the dead to show that He is the Son of God, and to give us the hope of rising again.

The Resurrection confirms:

  • who He is
  • what He taught
  • what He promised

9. Modern Objections Addressed

“Dead people do not rise.”

That is precisely why the Resurrection is significant.
It is not a natural event.

“This is just faith language.”

The Resurrection was proclaimed as fact from the beginning, not as symbol.

“History cannot prove miracles.”

History examines testimony, events, and consequences.
The Resurrection meets all three.

10. What Is Being Asked of You Now

At this point, you are asked to consider one question:

If Jesus Christ truly rose from the dead, what does that demand of me?

That question cannot be postponed indefinitely.

The Church does not rush the answer.
But she does insist the question be faced.

11. Closing Summary

The Resurrection stands at the centre of the Catholic Faith.

If it is false, the Faith collapses.
If it is true, everything changes.

From next week, the course turns to this question:

What did the risen Lord establish — and why does the Church exist at all?

Optional Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
You have conquered death and confirmed the truth.
Give us honesty to face the evidence,
and courage to respond to what it demands.
Amen.