Christ is
risen. Alleluia!!
This is a beautiful
day, the sun shining, the weather is warm, and the Lord has risen. We have just
finished the season of Lent. During this past Lenten season there was no bells,
no Gloria, no Alleluia.
And last
night, at the vigil mass, the Gloria of the risen LORD erupted.
At Our Lady
of Fatima, where I was asked to assist for the vigil service, a visiting
retired priest, Fr. Pike Thomas sang the Exsultet and most of the Mass. It
was beautiful. His voice was beautiful. I practiced for two weeks to sing four words - “The Light of Christ.”
It inspired
me this morning to sing the Easter Sequence - Victimae Paschali Laudes
Not
because, I have a great voice. Not because, I want everyone to hear me sing or
even that it was remotely possible anyone here wants me to sing. Not because I wanted to embarrass my wife.
I sing for
joy. I sing to give praise and honor to Christ. I sing for Jesus, the Lamb of
God, our redeemer. I sing to proclaim that Christ has overcome death and reigns
immortal.
I sing
because of the way our readings begin. "You know
what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that
John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and
power.”
Jesus came
and brought us hope. He went about doing good and
healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Then he was
crucified. They put him to death by hanging him on a
tree.
He rose
from the dead, just as he promised. God raised Jesus on
the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us,
And, the
world kept on being the world. But believers changed. We, unlike the world, seek
what is above. We are raised in Christ.
Amen! Alleluia!
But the
world is still the world. The evil of the world keeps on putting believers to
the same trials, tortures, and sufferings that it put on Jesus..
Every day,
believers face all the illness, crisis, and suffering the world throws at us.
In spite of all these things the world give to us, we continue to believe by faith. In that faith we are truly like the disciples and apostles.
Like the
ones who were there and saw him unjustly tried, tortured, and crucified. Like the
ones who saw the empty tomb. Like those who saw the burial clothes there and
the cloth that covered his head fold up and put to the side. Like those who saw
him and heard him and knew him and believe but still did not understand.
Like them,
we believe. Like them, we run to Jesus in our darkest hours to find His light. And
like them, we seek what is above not what is of earth.
This
morning I have three services at three different churches. As I was driving, I
noticed that some of the larger protestant churches have signs up with
direction for overflow Easter Parking. Some have the deputy Sheriffs directing
traffic. All are expecting so many who call themselves believer but only come
to worship the LORD once or possibly twice a year.
They
believe but they don’t understand. We will never truly understand, because God
is a mystery. God the Father is an infinite mystery. God the Son, Christ is God
an infinite mystery. A mystery as to why he became as one of us, why he experience
all he experience, and the resurrection a mystery. The Holy Spirit, the flow of
love between God the Father and God the Son, is the infinite mystery that is
God.
And no
matter if you are Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Assembly of God, Pentecostal,
or other you cannot truly understand the mystery of God. Even the Church that has been given
the wisest, most educated, and holy people to understand try to understand the mystery has only scratched at the mystery that is God.
This is what they preach to others that coming to worship God once or twice a year gives all they need to
understand and live in this ultimate mystery.
He
commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one
appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets
bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of
sins through his name."
So today, I
sing to glorify God. I sing as thankful praise for all the new believers who
have come to God and the Church this Easter.
I call each
of you to do the same. You look at me and say but you’re a deacon.
I sing for
the experiences of this Holy Week.
On Holy
Thursday, my 5 year old grandson came forward to get his feet washed. He had the biggest smile as his pop washed and
kissed his feet. He pop’s heart was about to burst.
Afterward
at the Church’s Passover meal and as Father and I listened, Aunt Jennifer asked
if he knew what Easter was about. He answered, “Jesus died for us because he
loves us.”
If a 5 year
old can evangelize to a priest and a deacon so can each and every one of you.
I sing for true
believers.
You cannot
deny it, each and every one of us is here today because we believe or we want
to believe or we seek to believe. We
should all give thanks and praise for God through Jesus Christ has touched our
hearts.
Friends, do
not limit our praise and glory to just this Sunday, to these seats, or to just
these witnesses. Bring it out to the world.
You
know what happened over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.”
God will anoint you with the same Holy Spirit.
Today, we know
what is happening in our community, our state, our country and in the entire
world. It is easy to see the devil in the world that continues to be the world.
For those
who believe, we see the risen Christ. I see it in a 5 year old who preaches the
gospel with innocence of heart. I see it in each and every face here before me,
true believers. I see Christ in the homeless person sitting outside the door at
10:30 last night after the vigil mass.
He
commissioned us to preach and testify that he is the one appointed by God.
Preach the Gospel any way you can! Bring the message to the people, the community, the state, the country and to the
entire world. Give to God all glory, thanks, and praise.
Preach
and proclaim that Jesus Christ has risen!!!
You can do
this - be good, be holy and preach the good news of the risen Christ by the way
you live your life and love one another.
Amen. Alleluia
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