Homily for Easter Sunday

Homily for April 21, 2019 (Easter Sunday)

Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8; John 20:1-9

 

This past week began with two dramatic events.  On Sunday, Tiger Woods won The Masters golf tournament in Georgia.  Ten years ago, his career and his personal life were a shambles.  Like the prodigal son in the Gospel of Luke (15:11-32), he sacrificed his reputation, his fortune and his family for a life of dissipation.  His body fell apart.  He could not walk or swing a golf club without pain.  But after many humbling and difficult years of personal, physical and professional rehabilitation, he again wore the green jacket of champions and celebrated with his family. 

On Monday night, the world watched in horror as Notre Dame Cathedral was partially destroyed by fire.  Some witnesses stood in stunned silence.  Others prayed.  Some wept.   Because of the courage of first responders, religious and priests, much of the building and many relics and artifacts were saved.  People throughout the world have already pledged over one billion dollars to repair and rebuild the ancient mother church of France.

We love stories of resurrection.  We need stories of resurrection.  Many of us have experienced resurrection in our own lives, those moments when we passed from darkness to light, from despair to hope, from fear to courage, from resentment to forgiveness, from trauma to healing, from conflict to peace, from sadness to joy, from illness to health, from loss to restoration, from death to life.

As we are reminded in our second reading, our feast of Passover—the sacrifice of the Lamb of God on Good Friday—is now followed by our Feast of Unleavened Bread.  After again clearing out the “old yeast” of corruption within our communities and within ourselves during Lent, we recommit ourselves to consume the unleavened bread of sincerity, truth and renewal.  When we consume the Body of Christ here in church, we recommit ourselves to be the Body of Christ in our homes and in our community. 

Nathan Mitchell, Professor Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, reminds us that the days of the Easter Triduum—Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter—celebrate “mystery, not history:”

They celebrate not what happened to Jesus but what is now happening to us as a people called to conversion, gathered in faith, and gifted with the Spirit of holiness.  They celebrate God’s taking possession of our hearts at their deepest core, recreating us as a new human community broken like bread for the world’s life—a community [that is] rich in compassion, steadfast in hope, and fearless in the search for justice and peace (N. Mitchell, Assembly 18:1, U. of Notre Dame Press).

We pray for the grace and courage to be that people.  “Renew My Church” is not the slogan of a program. It is a personal invitation that Christ gives to each of us. +