At Easter we have thrown in our face the reality of what it means being a follower of Jesus. We aren’t Christians because Jesus was a good teacher who taught us how to live – although he did that. We aren’t Christians because Jesus promised us thirty, sixty and a hundredfold in the kingdom of heaven – although he did that too. No, the reason we are Christians is because Jesus conquered sin and death. We are different because of Easter. We look at things differently because of Easter. Notice the change in the apostles. Before the resurrection the disciples were fear-filled door lockers. After the resurrection they would meet together in the temple area “praising God and enjoying favor with the people.” Before the resurrection they were jostling for position, trying to be number one. After the resurrection even though they were suffering through various trials they had a new birth to a living hope.
What prompted the change? On that first Easter evening Jesus appeared to the disciples and let them know what resurrection life was like. He did so with four pronouncements: “Peace be with you.” “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” “Receive the Holy Spirit. “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven.” Those four statements provide the road map we can use in our Christian life today. Since Jesus blesses us with peace, we no longer need to fear. No matter what is going on around us we can live in the serenity of knowing we have God’s benevolent love. Since Jesus sends the disciples forth, we know that our faith is not meant for us alone but intended to be shared with all those who are woven into our existence. Since Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit, we no longer need to rely on our own talents and abilities but can instead trust that God’s spirit is with us in all things and we can trust that divine wisdom and strength is available to us. And since Jesus gave us the power to forgive, we no longer need to hold onto those resentments and grudges out of a reluctance to be hurt again but can instead bestow forgiveness with the confidence that comes from being held in the palm of God’s hand.
We can summarize resurrection life, therefore, as being fear-free and forgiving, being appointed and anointed: fear-free because of Christ’s peace, forgiving because of Christ’s grace, appointed as those sent to bring the love of God into the world and anointed with the wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit. But something strange seems to be at work in the world today. The largest religious group in the United States currently are Catholics. The second largest? Former Catholics. Somehow or other we as Catholics have dimmed our little lights. Our lives must shine to show others what it means that we are fear-free and forgiving, appointed and anointed. We must let others know what we know – that a life lived for God is one filled with joy and peace, with purpose and hope. No matter how things seem to be going, as resurrection people we are confident in the ability of God to transform Good Friday into Easter Sunday.
A closer look at the story of the first Easter evening demonstrates that being fear-free and forgiving, being appointed and anointed means something very concrete: we can touch the wounds in the body of Christ. Thomas, called Didymus which means the twin, provided a little reality check to the disciples’ enthusiastic: “We have seen the Lord.” Bad things happen, he seemed to imply. Wounds, scars, injuries serve as reminders that the bad things that happen have consequences. You can’t make them go away by wishing it so. The wounds remain. And touching a wound is frightening. It reminds us of the pain. Touching the wound might cause it to start bleeding again. It might cause new distress. Resurrection faith gives us the courage to touch the wounds because we understand that a wound which cannot be healed must be transcended, must be transformed, must be raised up to God. And we don’t have to look far to see the wounded body of Christ. The sin of slavery and subsequent racism is still a festering sore. An economic system designed to keep the rich rich and the poor poor is an open wound. Abuse has been a wound right in the body of the Church. Closer to home, the wound caused in many hearts when St. James Church was torn down continues to bleed. But we, as those anointed with the spirit of God, are empowered to touch wounds. Just as Thomas was invited to touch the wounds of the risen body of Christ, we are empowered to touch the wounds of the body of Christ, that is the church. We are anointed to bring healing and forgiveness. Certainly in our families there are wounds that we are anointed to touch with a healing touch of forgiveness. As Easter people empowered by the Spirit we are sent to do so. In addition, there is one place that we don’t often notice a wound that needs touching – in our own hearts. Things that happened to us along the way – how our parents dealt with us, experiences in childhood, rejections and criticisms, disappointments and failures, griefs and losses – have all taken a toll. Our souls have been wounded. As those anointed by the spirit we can face those wounds and find a genuine peace and joy because the Risen Jesus can transform all wounds into glory. That is why like Thomas we cry out, “My Lord and my God.” Thank you for giving me faith. Thank you for giving me life in your name. Thank you for the blessed assurance that all will be well, all manner of things will be well. AMEN! ALLELUIA!
