24 April

“Suddenly there was a great earthquake: for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone, and sat on it.”

This morning, the unbelievable is the Truth. Jesus Christ lives. And by the grace of God, we know his presence in our lives today. Jesus is with us in his Word as it is preached, in the Sacraments as they are celebrated, in our prayers as we pray them, and in this community of the Church as we experience it. The Good News of the Gospel is no idle - no made up tale. We have the evidence - the Risen Christ - among us, and for us. Alleluia!

For a few minutes this morning, this glorious day, I would like us to consider the best way to celebrate Easter, namely, the way that Jesus did. This day, the most important day in the Church’s calendar, sets loose a torrent of activity – you all have experienced that!
We celebrate Christ’s resurrection in countless bright and colorful ways. We dye Easter eggs, and eat Chocolate covered marshmallow rabbits. We shop for new clothes – hoping for spring weather – and we buy hats and dresses and suits and shoes. We sit down to wonderful festive meals and enjoy dishes of ham or lamb or other treats. We gather for worship: to sing triumphant hymns with brass and tympani and organ; to hear the resurrection gospel, to receive Holy communion, and sing “Alleluia” – for the first time in 40 days. We have all these ways and many more to celebrate this Sunday of the Resurrection.

But I would like to suggest this morning, that we might celebrate Easter in a very different way - - to celebrate Easter the way that Jesus did. And to celebrate Easter this way does not require painted eggs, or springtime flowers, or even crowded churches, as happy as that is. To celebrate Easter as Jesus did means to forgive somebody, even somebody we may not think deserves it. Jesus forgives. He forgives those who don’t deserve it! Jesus forgives all who will receive the gift of forgiveness and even those who won’t. His friends – and his enemies! The Jews and the Gentiles! People of his time - and people of our time! Israelis and Palestinians! Egyptians and Libyans. Afghans and Americans. Jesus comes back in the power of his unending life – to forgive what was done to him on that First Good Friday – by all of us. Jesus comes back to forgive all the people for what they do to him - - in the person of each other - today and every day. And the marvelous good news is that we all have a place under Jesus’ Easter tent, the umbrella of his forgiveness - - all are a part of that great throng of what Archbishop Desmond Tutu likes to call the great multitude of God’s Rainbow people, all the peoples of the world who find a place in God’s outstretched loving arms - - the Rainbow people who find forgiveness.

Each one of us will find a place there, amongst God’s forgiven people, along with the boss that we can’t stand, and the next door neighbor who irritates us, and the family member we don’t get along with – all of us are there, beneath Jesus’ big rainbow Easter tent – though we don’t deserve it. The whole human race, including you and I, pushed Jesus out of this world into death’s doorway. And what happens? Jesus comes back, radiant with glory, and ushers us to the banquet of the forgiven, where old enemies can feast together as friends! Jesus forgives us.
He knows the secrets of our hearts.
He knows us better than we know ourselves.
He knows us, and still he forgives.

So there’s a couple of things that we can do in response this day: We can recall a person we need to forgive – and who doesn’t deserve it. It doesn’t matter who it is, near or far, out of our lives, or closely involved with us. We can decide that the wall of enmity that has divided us has gone on long enough – and needs Resurrection.

Then, later in the service, when we arrive at the Altar for Holy communion or a blessing, we can pray there for the grace to forgive – as we have been forgiven – and by God’s grace, both we and another person may experience Easter resurrection as never before. In the Name of God: our + Creator, Savior, Sanctifier, Of whom the Glory, in both heaven and earth is made manifest – Alleluia! Amen.