On the Vigil of Easter our Faith community gathered to celebrate the central event in Christianity - our belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. To proclaim Jesus is still alive and evidenced through the goodness of the life of His followers.
At 9:30PM-when the sun was fully set - we gathered in darkness in front of the church - around a pile of kindling.
When lit, it would serve as our Easter fire - the fire used to light the Pascal candle - the candle we use to show the light of Christ in a world that is dark - longing for light.
As the match was struck a car drove by - an amplified voice shouted an invective:
'He is dead! Get over it!'
Our community responded in a number of ways...
- some nervously laughed
- some were outraged at the intrusion into the sacred
- others noted that Jesus had been mocked as he died on the cross
and this was a continuation.
For us...
I was thinking of the youth in the car
- what caused him to yell
"Get over it"?
Is our belief in the Resurrection from the dead too absurd?
That Jesus remains present for us.
Certainly on the surface
this belief appears to be
absurd...
Is the young person locked into knowledge of the senses
or maybe overwhelmed by the implications
of what it might mean
if it were true...?
His timing was impeccable!
His invective certain.
His target perfect.
My inner response to him is:
We can get over it
- that Jesus died.
What we can't get over is
- our belief.
He remains alive
- ever present to us.
Embodied in the mystery of our lives.
He is found
in our personal Resurrections
rooted in moments of
Faith - Hope - Love
Truth from within...
