Rise and Live!

Easter Day
Matthew 28:1-10

My brothers and sisters in Christ, THIS is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!  We rejoice this day because the Lord is risen and so are we.  This is the day when we are hauled out of the darkness of the tombs we create for ourselves and thrown headlong into the full light of day. [1]  This is the day that proclaims “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”[2]  This is the day on which we celebrate the feast of “victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!”[3]  And, my friends, this is the day when we celebrate victory for all creation.

In St. John Chrysostom famous Easter Sermon he wrote,

“Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!”[4]

Indeed, this is the feast of victory for our God and for all of creation.  The resurrection hauls us out of the tight, constricted tombs we construct for ourselves and shouts, “Live!”  Let go of all that holds us back – the isms, the phobias, and the addictions of our individual and communal death – let go of the racism, materialism, Islamophobia, homophobia, alcoholism, drug addiction, sexism  - all that holds us back.  Let it go.   Let go of these false systems of belief, these ways of living that are no living – let go of all that binds us and live into the fullness of God’s resurrection love for life is liberated this day! 

THIS is a new day and we are called forth from the waters of baptism to begin again because Jesus is raised from the dead and so are we.  Jesus is raised from the dead and so are we.  Because the resurrection didn’t just happen to Jesus. It happened to a community as one by one they got back up on their feet and lived.[5] 

Resurrection happened for Mary Magdalene and the other Mary when they arrived at the tomb and were told, “He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.”[6] Their mourning turned to confusion and then, upon meeting the risen Christ, their confusion turned to resurrection joy.[7] They got up and lived.

And in the weeks ahead we’ll hear how resurrection happened for Thomas as his doubt turned to renewed belief and faith in the risen Christ.[8]  We’ll hear how resurrection happened for Peter as his denial turned to proclamation of the promise of the resurrection for all.[9] We’ll hear how resurrection happened for Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus – how their grief was turned to gladness as a stranger “took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them” and they realized that they were in the presence of the risen Lord.[10]  We’ll hear how resurrection happened for those first communities of Jesus followers who devoted themselves, as we do, to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.[11]  Every one of them got up and lived.

And in the days and weeks ahead, as we hear the stories of these early followers of Jesus being raised up, I pray that we will begin to share our own stories of how resurrection is happening to us in the here and now.  Stories of the ways in which God has liberated us from our bondage to self.  How our blindness to systemic oppression is being stripped away and our sight restored.  How we have found reconnection after a time of feeling alone.  How we have experienced resurrection or rebirth after a time of feeling dead in the midst of life. 

I love this poem by Susan Bock as it expresses so simply what living resurrection looks like:

“Make us an Easter people,
O Christ, whose name
is ‘Alleluia.’

May we, like Mary,
rise in joy when you call our name.
May we, like Thomas,
see and believe.
May we, like Peter,
become bold and brave.
May we, like Cleopas,
meet you in every road.

May we, like them,
be utterly changed,
in the victory of the love
by which you left your tomb,
and saved us forever
from death.”[12]

May you and I get up again and live.  For this is the day of the resurrection of the Lord – a day of celebration because Christ is Risen and so are we.  For we are an Easter People. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. 

There is Good News this day, my friends.  Jesus is not here.  The tomb is empty.  Christ has been raised from the dead.  And we are witnesses to this truth.  We are the ones whom God calls forth from the waters of baptism each day.  Do you believe in God the Father? Then rise up and live!  Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God? Then rise up and live! Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit? Then rise up and live!  You and I are the people who promise to serve God faithfully through God’s Church.  So, let us rise up and live!  Through the waters of baptism we have been received into the household of God.  So let us rise up and live!  We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ’s own for ever.  So, let us rise up and live!  God has anointed us in baptism to share the Good News.  “Do not be afraid; go and tell your brothers” and your sisters so that they too can see the Risen Christ.[13]  For we are an Easter people.

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[1] Jeffrey D. Lee, “Remembering Who We Are,” Preparing for the Paschal Feast: A Morning of Reflection, Eucharist & Blessing of Chrism for All, Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, April 11, 2017.

[2] 1 Peter 2:10

[3] John W. Arthur, “This is the feast of victory for our God,” The Hymnal 1982, 417.

[4] from The Easter sermon of John Chrysostom(circa 400 AD), accessed April 13, 2017.

[5] Lee, Ibid.

[6] Matthew 28:6a.

[7] Matthew 28:9.

[8] John 20:24-28.

[9] Acts 2:36-41.

[10] Luke 24:13-35.

[11] Acts 2:42.

[12] Susan K. Bock, “Easter,” Liturgy for the Whole Church: Multigenerational Resources for Worship, New York: Church Publishing, 2008, 97.

[13] Matthew 28:10b.