Last night at the Easter Vigil the ceremonies that took place used two of the great images with which the Church expresses the power and glory of the Resurrection. The first is light from darkness. Those who were present last night were not just shown Christ our Light symbolised by the great Easter Candle shining in the darkness, but were actually given the light as their candles were lit. Then, to emphasise the point we went through this a different way, as we sat in semi-darkness listening to some long Readings before the lights came on and Easter finally arrived. This morning the great Easter Candle and all the other candles remind us of this, and remind us not only to take the light of Christ into our own lives, but also to learn to understand what his light calls us to do and to be.
The second image is water, which is both a symbol of life and of death. Water kills. It can be a terrifying thing, as those who have faced floods know only too well. But water also gives life, without it we die. Indeed, we live the first 9 months of our life protected by the waters of the womb. Thus even our natural birth into life is a birth from and through water. I hope that your Easter Sunday Mass includes the profession of our Baptismal Promises followed by blessing with Holy Water because this reminds us that each Easter we have to choose what to do; whether to allow God to draw us through the waters to new life or not. We do not have to respond to the questions that are asked of us in a moment at the renewal of our Baptismal Vows. They call us each Easter to a death to sin, and to a life of service and sacrificial love. But it is only if we choose to say “I do” as the questions are asked us, that we can be drawn through the waters of death to new life with God for ever. The waters that are sprinkled on us are mere water, unless we allow that water to be more than just something that may make us a little wet! All God needs is for us to choose to follow his way as much as we can. We won’t be perfect, but our choice makes all the difference because it is only when we choose God that his life can work fully in us. Of course, God works in all men and women whatever their belief, but choosing to respond however imperfectly to God, makes a big difference. And we need to remember as we do this, that God’s new life in us will challenge many of our human preconceptions, and call us to something far greater than anything we can imagine.
Some of the ancient images by which the Church has tried to describe this great victory over sin and death are less well known than they should be. Let me share one of them with you. In this one, by an ancient anonymous author, Jesus enters death and hell holding his victorious weapon, his cross, and Adam (that’s us) responds. But what does he respond with? Joy you might think? But no, his first response is terror. Like Peter drowning and calling out in terror, Jesus grasps him (that’s us) by the hand and says “Awake O sleeper, and arise from the dead and Christ shall give you light”.
Listen to how it goes on :-
“I am your God who for your sake became your son, who for you and your descendants now speak and command with authority... those in prison : Come forth, and those in darkness.. Have light ...and those who sleep... Rise.
I command you: Awake sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead :I am the life of the dead. Arise.. work of my hands, arise you who were fashioned in my image. Rise, let us go hence for you in me and I in you, we are one undivided person.... I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side... My side healed the pain of your side, my sleep will release you from your sleep in Hades ; my sword has checked the sword which was turned against you.
But arise let us go hence. The enemy brought you out of the land of paradise; I will reinstate you, no longer in paradise but on the throne of heaven.”
The point is that the victory that we are called to enter into at Easter and thus on every Sunday and indeed on every day of our lives, is always something beyond where we think we can ever be. If we think we understand Easter, we need to be reminded that we never will. We may glimpse something of it in the experiences of life that will come upon us. But we will never fully understand Easter until we die and find that Easter means to be with and in the glory of God, drawn back into the mystery that underlies the Universe. This is the victory that Easter brings.
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