Easter Day 2005.Acts 10.34-43, Ps118.1-2, 14-24, Colossians 3.1-4, Matthew 28.1-10.
This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
We all have our own crucifixion experiences, those times of extreme change, sadness, depression, trauma, grief, sickness, you know, those times when life as we know it seems to be coming to an end. I guess at those times, it’s good for us to remember that before a resurrection comes a crucifixion. Or perhaps more apt is to remember that after the crucifixion will be resurrection, as we then acknowledge that life is not without hardship, and we are reminded that there is hope. We are reminded of this hope, especially on the day, as we hear that in the resurrection, Christ’s cry of desolation from the cross – “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is answered. As His cry was answered, so will ours be. Nothing goes on for ever except God.
There are times as a church when it all just seems a bit too hard to go on. I’ve certainly felt like that at times last year with everything that has happened in the diocese in the past 12 months. And its been a tricky time for All Saints as well, which I’m hoping Im not harping on too much. What I actually wanted to say, is to reiterate that we do have a future here at All Saints. But what is it?
What is it we that want to happen here in this place? More importantly, what does God want to happen in this place? A recreation of the glory days when the church was full, back in what, the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 20 years ago, 10 years ago, 5 years ago? Well, that’s impossible. It just won’t happen. Too much has changed, both in the world and in the church. And within us. Our collective experiences have changed us. The passage of time has changed us. And our God has formed us into something different.
What was that? God has changed us? Well, yes. Its not a passive thing as such, well, not entirely. Because I do believe that God works in the world, and that just as God raised Christ to new life, God raises us to new life all the time. It’s not totally passive because in the very least, because for us to change we have to accept that change and work with it and through it in a growing relationship with God, just as Jesus had to accept the massive burden of the cross and the brokenness of our lives. So our efforts to maintain and grow a healthy relationship with God also ad to the transforming of our selves. We are the sum total of God and ourselves working together within ourselves and in the world.
The same thing has happened in the church, even in this parish. Yes, that’s right. This parish is not the same as it was 2 years ago, let alone 10, 20, 30 years ago. And society, the world out there is not as it was back then. It has changed. Because change always happens. It’s the one thing that doesn’t change, the fact that change always happens, and we can’t do anything to stop it, no matter how hard we try.
So we are different, the world is different. Ok, we know that. What do we do about it? What does the risen Christ tell the two women to do with the knowledge of His resurrection? To tell the others, to proclaim Christ crucified. Christ gives us the same mission. What then do we do about responding to His call? Well, I’m not entirely sure either. But the fact is that the signs here are looking good. There is a new spirit about the place, and I’m not quite vain enough to claim responsibility for it. The new spirit is about you, the faithful people of All Saints, and your developing relationship with God. You are the people who hung in there, hoping and praying for a future. You are the people who went through the transformation of a crucifixion experience. You are the people who are the embodiment of hope here in this place. I’m just another priest. In the end, whatever I do will be dependent on you. We clergy are transitional. You are the rock of this congregation. Peter was the rock on the church was to be built. On the night before Jesus died, Peter denied him three times to save his own life. Yet, soon after Jesus death and resurrection, we have Peter in the readings from the Acts of the Apostles preaching to Gentiles!!!! The impetuous Peter, always speaking without thinking it seems, is a powerful preacher, and indeed becomes the rock on which the church was built. Peter resurrected, transformed, empowered. Well, you are all Peter. You are all the rock on which this church is being built. Rock can move, it can shake, but that’s normal. Nothing in creation is invincible, immovable. But it’s the most solid thing there in creation. This planet is largely made of it. From the rock of this planet comes some of the finest riches known to humanity. From the rock of this church, this parish, some of the finest riches known to God have come, and are coming.
How does that hymn go? God gives us a future, daring us to go. We are dared by Jesus to take on the fullness of this resurrected life, to live the hope, to be able to give full account for the hope that is within us. We are not people of the crucifixion, no matter how many crosses are stuck up around the place. We are people of the resurrection!! We are being raised up!! We are here to stay, and here to grow, and here to be God’s people!!
We have work to do. Lets get on with it.
Christ is risen. Alleluia.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia.
