RevRobJack.com

Easter Sunday 2011      

         Today is a day to smile. Yes it has been raining for almost two days straight and there is flooding and gas is almost 4.00 a gallon, but today is a day to smile. There is far too much frowning and scowling and nasty looks of impatience. On this Easter Sunday, we really have something to smile about.    

           Some people may think we are crazy and others a little strange, but the frowns of sorrow, fear and anger are things of the past for Christians. We smile because we know with faith that Jesus Christ is alive, and for that reason we can truly live and act as God’s children by the gift of the Baptism. 

            We lived in a world where there is injustice, disease, violence, evil and death. Those things slowly but surely eat away at us, weighing us down and making life much more of a chore than a joy. God the Father had seen that this is what we had made of our lives. We went from a garden to a garbage dump and so all we could do is distract ourselves from pain and suffering until this life is over. We chose ourselves over God; our will over God’s will and brought about the seeds of our own misery. 

          God has always had one desire for all his people: to give them the opportunity to receive again what they so foolishly gave up and welcome them back to him. He sent Jesus his Son, born of the Virgin Mary to proclaim the Kingdom of God and that faith, hope and love can overturn doubt, despair and selfishness if we allow God to work with us and in us and through us.             Just two days ago, we recalled that by his death on the cross, Jesus took upon himself everything that could have destroyed us and today we know that he has destroyed them. When we speak about Jesus, we do not just say that Jesus was there, but rather because of the Resurrection and the grace of the Holy Spirit we can smile and say that Jesus IS here. Right NOW.

     Jesus IS ALIVE and so the lie that God is out to get us or does not care about us is replaced by the Truth that God is offering us a new opportunity to come to him in faith.

     Jesus IS ALIVE and so the fear of professing and living our faith is replaced by the confidence that God has hidden nothing from us and invites us to carry our burdens with the certainty that we do not carry them alone.

     Jesus IS ALIVE and so the selfishness that the world tells us is good is replaced by the generous and selfless love of being for others.

      In Jesus’ death and resurrection, God reminds us that our true humanity and beauty lies in the reality of giving and receiving one another in love. The frowns that we wear and the regrets and resentments that we carry around with us are the result of thinking about ourselves as a people who believe their future is all about changing their past. 

      In fact, in the Resurrection and the Sacrament of Baptism that makes us true sharers in the resurrected life, we know in faith that God is calling us to look ahead. He is calling us to love more every day, pray more every day, serve more every day. In love, prayer, service and sacrifice we find the risen Jesus Christ. When we eat his Body and drink his Blood it is the glorified and risen Jesus that we receive. We receive life and hope and a love that will keep us strong when it appears that we are outnumbered and overwhelmed.

     The life of Christ conquers the life of chaos that many of us think we have to endure, when today, he says to us a simple word: “PEACE.”

    So, when you are out and about in your daily life, when you are overwhelmed and at your wits end, when you are on the verge of despair and think that life has gotten the upper hand, just remember this Easter Day, which is more than a day, but a whole lifetime. God is caring for you. You have God’s undivided attention. All you have to do know is love the Lord, love your neighbor and SMILE!