Homily: Easter Sunday 2014 - He is Risen!

A doctor met with a patient to share with him his resent lab results.  “I have your lab results and there is some bad news and worse news,” the doctor said.  “The bad news is that your lab results say you have 24 hours to live”.  “How could it get any worse?” the patient asked.  “The worse news is that I’ve been trying to get a hold of you since yesterday.”

Today we ponder not bad news, but good news.  The best news there could possibly be.  Jesus Christ defeated death.  Though all seemed lost on Good Friday, today we rejoice: for he is risen; indeed he is risen.

“If Christ has not been raised,” St. Paul, “then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain”.  The Christian faith stands or falls with the truth of the testimony that Jesus of Nazareth is risen from the dead.

Without the Resurrection, Good Friday would be the story of a failed religious leader.  Sure, we could reflect on his teachings, perhaps marvel at his miracles; yet, had he not risen from the dead, Christianity would be no better than any other worldly philosophy, no better than a fairy tale or entertaining story to pass the time.

If Christ had not been raised, death would not have been defeated.  We would continue to live with the fear that death got the final say.  Without the resurrection the Sacraments would not be encounters with the risen one, but mere fantasies.  Baptism would have no power; there would be no real hope in eternal life.

 “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain”. But…He is Risen!  Indeed, He IS risen, Alleluia! 

From time to time I meet a college student or older adult who, though baptized as an infant has left the practice of the Catholic faith: they aren’t coming to mass and they are publically at odds with teachings of the Church.  I ask them why they’ve left the practice of the faith in which they were raised.   And they often say, “well, I was baptized as a baby, so I didn’t get a choice to become Catholic or not.”

Well, to all of you, who didn’t get a choice as infants, today, and every Easter, we renew the promises of our baptism.  Immediately after the homily, I will ask you a series of questions that you might renew the promises of your baptism.

We renew our faith that Jesus rose, we renew our belief in all the Church teaches in his name.  The priest will then sprinkle with water all those gathered as a reminder of the waters of baptism and a renewal in our commitment to live out those promises.

And really, it’s not just on easter that we renew our promises.  Every time we receive the Eucharist, we our saying “Amen” to being in communion with the Church, being one with the risen Lord who promises us eternal life.  The Early Christians celebrated every Sunday as a “little Easter” because EVERY SUNDAY the Church gathers to celebrate Christ’s Easter victory.  This is why attendance at Mass every Sunday of the year is just as obligatory as it is on Easter Sunday.  Easter is to be celebrated week by week, “celebrating Christ’s victory over sin and death, looking forward in active hope to his return in glory to make all things new.”

We come to celebrate this awesome victory, that its power will be unleashed in us. Today we reject sin and satan and all his empty promises that the power of the resurrection may continue to transform us. 

The news of Christ’s resurrection is the greatest news there can be.  It is the news that Love is more powerful over death.  The darkness we see in the world will forever be vanquished.  Hatred and division and disease and suffering and selfishness and lust do not get the final say.  God’s word can be trusted.  Resurrexit sicut dixit. He is Risen as he said he would! Indeed, He IS Risen!  Alleluia!