I can
appreciate the unsettled confusion of two women at an empty tomb. Surprised by what they find, news of Jesus’ resurrection
is initially too good to comprehend or believe.
God’s victorious grace, great news quite simply, overwhelms.
Recently I
was confronted about death. Some friends
were concerned that “rest in peace” meant that their deceased father is, in
essence, waiting nervously, for his day of judgement. I was caught a little off guard by the
questions, but after some discussion managed to convince them that to rest in
peace is to rest in peace -not fear.
These folks,
being good (Irish) Catholics, are never ungrateful, or take for granted, God’s
generosity – they are, in fact, well disposed to terror and amazement.
I think much
more so than most of us (today), though, the first Christians were confident in
what God gives. They believed that, as
St. Paul says, Christ died once and for all and that they therefore need not
fear what lies ahead. Because to die
with Christ as we do in baptism is to rise as our Lord rises –which in theory
is to live in hope, confident that God has already judged us, and judged us
well.
How terrifying
and amazing is a God who judges me righteous?
For those
received into the church today, you who are newly baptised and confirmed, I
would expect feelings similar to terror and amazement. For we who are baptised into new ways of knowing
God, what our Lord truly accomplishes for us, meet healthy doses of fear
and awe.
God
overwhelms!
As believers in a God who dies and rises, we are called to embrace
what God has done.
Like Mary and
Mary we are sent to meet our crucified Messiah as raised, the gift of mercy and
love without bounds, a God who has won.
Unlike our
ancestors, whom we heard so much about while in darkness tonight, no longer do
we wait for peace -our Prince has arrived.
So as we go
forth in hope of resurrection, the gift God gives, might we encounter terror
and amazement. May we discover just how
generous God is and be overwhelmed.
Happy Easter!
