| "Easter Vigil"
March 22, 2008
Lessons: Mathew 28:1-10, Jeremiah 31:1-6
Sermon by the Rev. Matthew P. Idicula
"He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come,
see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples.”
(Matthew 28: 6,7)
“Wish you all a very happy Easter.”
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
After forty days in Lent and a week of sufferings Easter day
is finally here. Today we are going to rejoice because our Lord
Jesus Christ is raised from the dead. Resurrection day is the
most important day in the Christian religion. There is no Christianity
without the resurrection. Risen God is the witness of Christian
faith. Without an empty tomb there is no faith and no God and
there is no salvation. Empty tomb is the witness of Christian
faith.
Today’s gospel reading is about the empty tomb. The story
of the woman at the tomb is narrated by all the gospel writers.
Today we have heard Matthew’s story of the empty tomb.
Those ladies, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were the first
to receive the news of the empty tomb; news of the Risen Christ.
They were with him all the way. When all the so called faithful
brave men were disappeared these ladies stood by him everywhere.
Knowing fully the consequences they had been there at the cross.
They had been there when He was laid in the tomb again they
were there in the early hours of the morning.
And now they are receiving their reward; they were the first
to receive the news of the Risen Lord. They were the first in
the world who were confronted with the joy of the empty tomb;
joy of the Risen Lord. For their faithfulness along with the
joy they were also given great responsibilities. Let us examine
them very briefly.
They were the first to be given the responsibility to believe.
As we know these things were beyond belief. Too good to be true
yet they were given the great responsibility to believe. The
angel reminds them of the promise of Jesus, and confronted them
with the empty tomb; his every word is a summons to believe.
Yet it is a fact that there are many who feel that the promises
of Christ are too good to be true.
We know Peter denied him three times. Judas betrayed him. Thomas
did not believe the resurrection until he physically felt it.
We did not see any of his close disciples with him in this difficult
time. All of them were unfaithful. They were all afraid and
may be they did not even believe it. These ladies had been with
him every where. They were also at the tomb first. They were
also the first to be given the responsibility to believe. Without
them believing how can they convince others?
How many times we come across this empty tomb in our life?
How many times our Lord had comforted us; consoled us? How many
times we have seen the joy of the empty tomb? Yet are we able
to believe? When we had the opportunity and responsibility did
we believe? These women had been given the responsibility to
believe because they were faithful in their mission? We must
be faithful in our mission.
Secondly; they were given the responsibility to share. When
they themselves have discovered the fact of the risen Christ,
their first duty is to proclaim it to all to share it with other.
“Go tell!” is the first command given to them by
the angel of the Lord.
It was the responsibility of these ladies to share the good
news of the Risen Lord. As Christians we are given the responsibility
in this world to share this good news of gospel. It is our duty
to be His witness in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and
to the end of the earth. The book of Acts tells us that the
Church carries on the life of Christ. We are given the responsibility
to share as members of the body of Christ. We must examine ourselves.
Are we faithful in our mission?
Thirdly, they were urged to rejoice. First they were given
the responsibility to believe, then they were to share only
then they were urged to rejoice. The word the risen Christ met
them was “rejoice”. The people who met the risen
Lord must live for ever in the joy of the presence of Him; they
were urged to rejoice. Nothing in this world can part them from
the risen Lord any more. These women were faithful in their
mission. They overcame all the challenges. They stood by him
all the way in spite of all their troubles. Now they have their
reward. They were urged to rejoice.
After forty days in lent in this final week of lent: We see
different images of Christ.
On Palm Sunday, we saw a courageous Christ entering Jerusalem
in spite of all the troubles waiting for him there. On Maundy
Thursday, we saw a humble Christ washing the apostles’
feet, fully knowing that he is the king of king. On Good Friday,
we saw a crucified Christ suffering on behalf of us, taking
our sorrows and pains so that we will have eternal life. Today
we have seen that empty tomb; the risen Christ triumphant against
the powers of evil and death and promise of eternal life beyond.
Are you
able to believe? Are you able to share and are you able to
rejoice like the women at the tomb?
Life in this world is in the midst of sufferings. Life in this
world we will always come across many Passion Weeks. In the
midst of the gloom and doom of daily life, in the midst of unpredictability
and uncertainty of this world, in the midst of the dreams that
faded and the hopes that drooped we will see this Passion Week.
We are urged to believe the good news, urged to share the good
news and finally urged to rejoice in the good news of gospel.
While we are preparing for Easter day we must also examine
ourselves. What is Lenten season to us; how is resurrection
related to our personal life? Is it merely a ritual every year
in our church or it is a reality in our life? Can we see within
our hearts and mind that our Lord Jesus Christ died for us and
he is raised from the dead. Are we able to witness Christ in
our personal life? Are you able to believe? Are you able to
share and are you able to rejoice like the women at the tomb?
God’s promise on this Easter day we heard from the book
of prophet Ezekiel. A new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:24-28)
God promised to restore Israel not only physically; but also
spiritually. God would give them a new heart for following him
and put his spirit within them to transform them and empower
them to do his will.
The new covenant was promised to be fulfilled in Christ. No
matter how impure our life is now God offers us a fresh start.
If we accept God’s promise, we can have our sins washed
away, receive a new heart for God, and have his spirit within
us. This is a new start. May the Lord of the impossible awaken
our faith.
May God bless you all. Amen.
Let us pray: God of mercy, Lord Jesus Christ in love you sent
your son so that we might be cleansed of sin and live forever.
Bless each one of us as we gather to reflect on your sufferings,
death and resurrection so that we may learn from your example
the way we should live in this world. Your passion and death
is the sacrifice that unites earth and heaven and reconciles
us to you. May we who have faithfully reflected on these mysteries
follow in your steps and so come to share your glory in heaven
where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit
one God, for ever and ever. Amen
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