Easter Sunday 2007
The Resurrection of the Lord
Mass Readings
Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Col 3:1-4
John 20:1-9
The Lord's body is gone and the disciples are frantic. To dare show their faces in public is a sign of how distraught they are. The ones who had run away from Jesus as he was being crucified are now running to his tomb to see for themselves if Jesus is gone. Yet they still don't understand. They believed in the resurrection when it was just a theory but now they are faced with the immense reality and it overwhelms them. the first thought is that Jesus' body has been stolen.
Their heads must have been swimming with frightening thoughts. Is he alive? Has he been stolen? Is he truly the Son of God? Was he just moved to another tomb? Are we really going to see him again??? The questions must have been myriad! Soon, they would all know the answer. Soon, Jesus would stand in their midst and give them the power and authority to proclaim the Resurrection and the gift of God's Salvation. What was feared to be the end was truly the beginning of our salvation!
We gather here today because we are a people redeemed by the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. Today we proclaim and celebrate that Jesus is God the Son and that he conquered the power of sin and death and has freely given this gift to his disciples. We are the very disciples Jesus loves! All of us are saved by the blood of Christ! Today we celebrate LIFE!
For those who profess Jesus is Lord, everyday is Easter. Daily we celebrate endings and beginnings. Everyday we strive to die a little more to self so that we might live in the fullness of being Jesus' disciples. We never arrive at perfection until that day when we are seated with Jesus in God the Father's Kingdom. But each day we work to be a bit more faithful to Jesus' commands. And what joyful commands they are!! Everyday we strive to be a bit more loving, a bit more faithful, a bit more prayerful, and the list goes on. Everyday we work towards truly loving God and neighbor, to see the very face of God in one another. Easter Sunday is about being truly alive! And to be truly alive is to live as one of God's children striving to be free of hatred and violence so we can live in peace and service for the glory of the Kingdom of God!
Our purpose on earth is to be the very image of Jesus. We are passing glances in this world as we long to be united with God. The things of this earth are fleeting and will decay and that includes us. Yet we have the eternal, right inside of us, our soul. And that which is eternal must always be the first fostered. We grow in Spirit as we dedicate ourselves to following the Lord. Each and every day we become more alive as we live Jesus' commandments of life, love, faith, fidelity, and service.
As we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord, we also celebrate our resurrection. Salvation brings us all from the death of sin and into the life of Christ! We are reborn today by Word and Sacrament. Today we receive the Word of God and the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. Today we are given a share of God's Kingdom and we are called to live boldly Jesus' command to Love God and Neighbor. We live because Jesus lives! Christ the Lord is risen today alleluia! Amen!
