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We have the promise of life – the resurrection of
Jesus who becomes the Christ liberates us from our fear of death.
Death is not the issue, but fear is what stands in the way of
receiving our true identity – co-creators, siblings of the Divine
creator. And herein lies redemption. Herein lies our joy!
The Easter story is about awakening to the paradise of the sacred in
and through all things. Creation is made of the same substance of
God. The resurrection of the Christ affirms the goodness of all
creaturely life – of this home we call earth! This reality – our
shared life with all creatures and living flesh – is a gift, one we
are meant to enjoy, embrace, and embody! The Easter story reminds us
that the Holy Three invites us into Their lives, participating in
creation. What we think is impossible, often communicated in
theologies rooted in our projections, the Energy of Love deems
possible. What Is Happening [God] is dynamic, never static, and the
Easter message isn’t just for humanity but for all creatures – a
love that is always on the go, in the world shared with all of
creation.
Want to know what I love the most about the Easter story? It
happened in the darkness. It begins with fear, sorrow, and profound
loss of certainty. It wasn’t what anyone expected. And yet, between
the tears, sighs too deep for words, and confusion, Mary—and all of
humanity for that matter—encounters a bizarre and inexplicable Love
in the half-light of dawn.
The thing about God, is that She shows up in unexpected ways. The
thing about God is that They are dynamic. The thing about God is
that He is unpredictable—except when it comes to love. In and
through Jesus, we see not only the heart of God but the heart of
humanity. In and through the death and resurrection of the Christ,
the whole meaning of humanity is revealed. Resurrection means
life—but not life as we know it. Easter is about our participation
in the life of the Triune God – an all-encompassing life that seeks
the liberation of all creaturely life. The resurrection means we
don’t speak of the resurrection in the past tense but a reality that
is present to us now. When we declare that “Christ is risen,” we are
declaring that we are now what has always been – the Christ
conversation in the world!
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Easter Sunday is the day we remember our life is at
the center of the Trinity. It is the day we remember that we need
not fear death because life has and will always have the final say.
Now, by the Spirit, we not only share life with the Risen Christ,
but we are Christ to the world. As St. Teresa of Avila said, “Christ
has no body on earth but ours!” Easter is the day we enter the
barrenness and darkness of the tomb, only to discover the Christ is
here! And the best part is that the Christ comes to us the same way
the Christ came to Mary—and we need not have checked our baggage at
the door.
Here’s the thing about Easter. If we proclaim Jesus’s resurrection,
are we ready to live it? Are we ready to empty ourselves out for the
sake of others – people and pine trees, children and chickadees,
humans and humpback whales? Are we willing to confront the evil in
our lives for the sake of a truly inclusive community where everyone
is welcome? Are we committed to offering our hearts, hands, and
resources in a way that cultivates life while bearing witness to the
radical love of the Risen Christ who embodied the Beloved Community?
Oh, friends, I love the Easter story. It is unpredictable and
unexpected—but it is surprising and inspiring. The story of Easter
is one that says, “Christ is not here! Because Christ is
everywhere!” It is a story that says, “Remove those obstacles and
allow creativity to transform this place – kenosis and kinetic!”
So, during this Easter season, let us come to the Banquet of the
Lamb, the Risen Christ, the Bread of Heaven, who is not the food of
the dead—but the true Risen Body of Christ. Here, there, and
everywhere: let those who encounter the Risen Christ begin to live
and know life in its fullest forever! Let us, creatures of the Holy
One’s substance, embody the Easter story while we proclaim the best
of news—
Christ. Is. Risen!
Rev. Adam R. Quine
First Presbyterian Church of Lincoln & Middletown |
