Easter
Homily By The Rev. Marcia McRae
St.
John’s Episcopal Church, Bainbridge, GA, 27 March 2016
RCL
Year C:
Acts 10:34-43;
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-1;John 20:1-18
“A
long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...”1
intelligent creatures looked through their Hubble space telescopes &
said:
“What on Earth is happening?!”
We
are Easter people. We know what they were looking at:
That 1st
“Easter [which] flips everything upside-down”, shatters our
preconceived notions, transcends what's rational...2
As
Tim Schneck says in his book, Dust
Bunnies in the Basket: Finding God in Lent & Easter,
in this parrallel universe “faith
collides with conventional wisdom & wins...love conquers
all,...death has no dominion over us,...forgiveness wipes away all
sin,...mercy [triumphs
over]
judgment... inclusion wins...over exclusion, hope conquers despair,
Resurrection & life triumph over Crucifixion & death...The
risen Christ invites us all into this parallel universe of
Resurrection glory.”3
We
don't have to wait until we die to start living the life of
Resurrection & Love that Jesus shows us.
In all seasons of our
lives we are Easter people.
Even in Lent that just ended we live in
the truth of Jesus' Resurrection & Love. Notice how we spell
Lent.
L-E-N-T: Live
Easter Now Today!
Easter people know the rest of the story, the Good News:
God Loves you. No
exceptions. All are welcome.
When we face the hard work of a tough day like Mary Magdalene does, confronted by confusing reality, remember the angels & Jesus ask, “Why are you weeping?" What does she say?
“I'm crying because...I
don't know..."
The
difference between us & Mary Magdalene is we know.
We know where
Jesus is. Jesus is right here: in our hearts, in the eyes, the hands,
the just-right word of another.
In
life we do face death. This last enemy to be destroyed has many forms
both literal & figurative, such as the death of a plan, an
ability, a relationship. Perhaps we can weep with joy that we don't
face death alone. Jesus, the Lord of Life is right here with us,
walking each step with us.
On each step that Jesus took on the road to the cross, he carried our burden.
Remember: God
calls us each day to live the
Good News of the empty tomb.
When the world tells us: “Everything is a mess. There is nothing you can do. Just wring your hands. Hold your breath. Expect the worst.” we Easter people can respond: “Been there. Done that at the foot of the cross. We know the rest of the story: Alleluia!”
Everything WAS a mess. Jesus changed all that.
Jesus shows us how to make things better. The Holy Spirit guides us to make things better so that we don't just wring our hands & hold our breath. On the cross Jesus said it is finished/it is accomplished & breathed his last. He finished the work of defeating death's power.
When we are told to expect the worst, look at the cross where the Prince of Glory died.
On that worst day, Jesus asks God to forgive us.
If
you had been the only person who has sinned in all of history &
dying on the cross was the only way Jesus could rescue you from
separation from God, Jesus would have done it all for you.
Jesus died
for you.
Look
into that empty tomb.
It can't hold the Lord of Life.
Take a deep
breath &
savor the new life
the Holy Spirit breathes into you.
Johnson,
The Rev. Deon. “Practice
Resurrection, Easter (C) – 2016”. Accessed: 26 March 2016.
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/stw/2016/03/16/practice-resurrection-sermon-for-easter-c-2016/
Schenck,
Tim. Dust
Bunnies in the Basket: Finding God in Lent & Easter.
USA: Forward Movement. 2015. www.forwardmovement.org
Thompson,
Richelle. “March 27 Easter”. Meeting
Jesus on the Margins: Meditations on Matthew 25.
Cincinnati: Forward Movement. 2015.
1
Galaxy idea from Schenck,
Tim. Dust
Bunnies in the Basket: Finding God in Lent & Easter.
Pp. 62-65.
2
Ibid. P. 64.
3
Ibid.
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