| "Easter Vigil"
The Rev. Catherine Wright
Easter Vigil
April 11, 2009
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Glen Ellyn, IL
Romans 6:3-11
Mark 16:1-8
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
I want to tell you what a few other folks have to say about
this business of the resurrection and it’s meaning. Philips
Brooks, a nineteenth-century Episcopal bishop and author, once
said, “The great Easter truth is not that we are to live
newly after death, but that we are to be new here and now by
the power of the resurrection.”
A few years ago, John Dominic Crossan and N.T. Wright engaged
in a public dialogue on the meaning of the resurrection. They
expressed some sharp differences of opinion, but, rather surprisingly,
they both agreed that the real meaning of the early Christian
witness to the resurrection was about the transformation of
our lives and our world right now.
Bishop Wright puts it this way:
“Those of you who are going to preach on Easter Sunday,
please note that the resurrection stories in the Gospels do
not say Jesus is raised, therefore we’re going to heaven
or therefore we’re going to be raised. They say Jesus
is raised, therefore, God’s new creation has begun and
we’ve got a job to do.”
Crossan says that the resurrection means:
“God’s Great Clean-Up of a world grown old in evil
and impurity, injustice and violence has already begun ... and
we are called to participate in it. The end of the world is
not what we are talking about. We’re talking about cosmic
transformation of this world.”
Now, when two New Testament scholars with as widely divergent
as views as Wright and Crossan agree on something, we should
take notice. The great Easter truth is not that we are simply
to live newly after death, but that we are to be new, here and
now, by the power of the resurrection.
This passage of Mark is believed to be the original ending
to this Gospel- those who were told to tell others fled in terror
and amazement saying nothing to anyone because they were afraid.
And we are afraid. We are afraid that our efforts won’t
make a difference. We get stuck in despair and fear. But our
efforts do make a difference.
I preached at the beginning of this Lent about our need to
look closely at the reality of the world we live in. I encouraged
people to participate in the classes about the Millennium Development
Goals- to hear about our world and what is going on in it. Now
I want to tell you some of the good news about what is going
on in our world and how we, as people of God, are a part of
it.
We participate in the Episcopal Relief & Development- the
blue boxes we collect tonight and tomorrow go to support their
efforts. In 2007 ERD reached more than 2 million people in over
40 countries. Their four main areas of focus are Alleviating
Hunger and Improving Food Supply, Promoting Health and Fighting
Disease, Creating Economic Opportunities and Strengthening Communities,
and Responding to Disasters and Rebuilding Communities. In 2007,
ERD spent over $25 Million on programs address their primary
focus areas. This is the resurrection. St. Mark’s has
raised money to buy over 100 nets. This is the resurrection.
In the 1970’s, 1 in 3 people in developing countries
was going hungry. That had fallen to 1 in 5 by the 1990’s.
The number of people who die each year of starvation has declined
sharply since the beginning of the 20th century- today it is
tyranny or violence that allows starvation- the world is adept
at responding to droughts and disasters that use to cause starvation.
That is resurrection. We are doing a better job of responding
to the real needs in our world and I trust we will continue
to. We are a resurrection people.
During the Roman Empire, Romans had a approximate life expectancy
of 22 to 25 years. In 1900 the world life expectancy was approximately
30 years and in 1985 it was about 62 years. That is resurrection.
Christ did not rise just once; he continues to rise when we
reach out to others with love and kindness. He continues to
rise when we allow others to reach out to us with love and kindness.
He continues to rise when we allow ourselves to be changed,
transformed by the love of God in our lives.
- Henri Nouwen put it this way- In this crazy world, there's
an enormous distinction between good times and bad, between
sorrow and joy. But in the eyes of God, they're never separated.
Where there is pain, there is healing. Where there is mourning,
there is dancing. Where there is poverty, there is the kingdom."
Now, I know. The world is not perfect. There is pain and suffering
close to us and far away. It is real. There is still more work
to be done. But much has been done and the greatest part Jesus
took care of thousands of years ago.
I leave you with the Easter sermon of St. John Chrysostom,
who lived in the 4th century when life was even shorter, harsher
and more difficult than it is now. He realised and did a wonderful
job of describing how we are all a part of this glorious new
reality that Jesus has ushered in. It is Easter. We celebrate
not just Christ’s rising from the dead, but our own too.
We are as the author to the Roman’s puts it- buried and
raised with Christ to new life.
An Easter Sermon
A re there any who are devout lovers of God?
Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!
Are there any who are grateful servants?
Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!
Are there any weary from fasting?
Let them now receive their due!
If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their reward.
If any have come after the third hour,
let them with gratitude join in the feast!
Those who arrived after the sixth hour,
let them not doubt; for they shall not be short-changed.
Those who have tarried until the ninth hour,
let them not hesitate; but let them come too.
And those who arrived only at the eleventh hour,
let them not be afraid by reason of their delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
The Lord gives rest to those who come at the eleventh hour,
even as to those who toiled from the beginning.
To one and all the Lord gives generously.
The Lord accepts the offering of every work.
The Lord honours every deed and commends their intention.
Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!
First and last alike, receive your reward.
Rich and poor, rejoice together!
Conscientious and lazy, celebrate the day!
You who have kept the fast, and you who have not,
rejoice, this day, for the table is bountifully spread!
Feast royally, for the calf is fatted.
Let no one go away hungry.
Partake, all, of the banquet of faith.
Enjoy the bounty of the Lord's goodness!
Let no one grieve being poor,
for the universal reign has been revealed.
Let no one lament persistent failings,
for forgiveness has risen from the grave.
Let no one fear death,
for the death of our Saviour has set us free.
The Lord has destroyed death by enduring it.
The Lord vanquished hell when he descended into it.
The Lord put hell in turmoil even as it tasted of his flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he said,
"You, O Hell, were placed in turmoil when he encountering
you below."
Hell was in turmoil having been eclipsed.
Hell was in turmoil having been mocked.
Hell was in turmoil having been destroyed.
Hell was in turmoil having been abolished.
Hell was in turmoil having been made captive.
Hell grasped a corpse, and met God.
Hell seized earth, and encountered heaven.
Hell took what it saw, and was overcome by what it could not
see.
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
Christ is risen, and you are cast down!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life is set free!
Christ is risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead.
For Christ, having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Christ be glory and power forever and ever. Amen!
Author: John Chrysostom (347-407)
The Easter Sermon of John Chrysostom exists in many editions
on the Web. This version was prepared by André Lavergne
[editor@worship.ca]. Cf. The editions of Mark Baker and Frank
Dobbs.
Posted Easter, 1999. Revised Easter, 2001
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