Homily- Easter 2004

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Homily- Easter 2004

She came to the tomb through the darkness, the thick veils of grief still clouding
her world and her heart. But there were things that had to be done, small things,
routine things. She needed to keep her hands busy taking care of her loved one
who had died. Maybe that way she could keep herself from falling apart.

Then with her own eyes, Mary saw the empty tomb.

Whoever would have dreamed that this morning of death and darkness could be
filled with new life and dazzling light.

Christ had died, but he was risen in glory.

Well, what about us?

What veils of darkness have we walked through to come to this place in our
lives? The death of a loved one, sickness, divorce, unemployment, betrayal,
domestic violence, disappointment?

What small actions have we ourselves used to keep our hands busy, to keep
from falling apart? And did we dare to dream that there was new life waiting for
us? Did we have the courage to look around us in the darkness, trusting that the
veils would part and there would be light?

Since you are here, then I believe that the answer is “yes”.

Even if this is the only time you come to church all year, we are all here for the
same reason. We all need to see the dazzling Easter light with our own eyes.
Christ has died- but he is risen in glory!

Throughout the season of Lent, week by week, many of us have sat in silence
and written or reflected on what was in on hearts, messages to God about our
personal concerns and our personal journeys. And as we looked into ours elves,
week by week, the veils have been drawn back, and we have begun to see
ourselves more clearly. Our hope is that we have come closer to seeing
ourselves as God sees us, honestly and directly, not hidden by veils of self-
deception.

So many people have written private and personal letters to Jesus, letters that
poured out their doubts and worries, prayers and dreams, secrets and struggles.
People have asked me what to do with these letters, all these pieces of white
paper. We have asked you to keep the papers themselves, because God has
already received whatever was written or drawn on them. What has been offered
up in the silence of all of our hearts, God has received. Now we see before us
not white papers, but the white of the empty cross, shining with God’s light.
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God has taken every shared moment of our lives and bathed it in the glory of the
cross.

Some of the moments we shared with God on the white papers were small;
others were very large. All sizes and shapes are there.

Think for a moment: what event in your own life has been on your mind the most
this year? If Jesus, the Lord of all life, is always with us, then he was surely there
for that event. Even if you were not with us during Lent, you can imagine writing
on your own piece of white paper and letting God add it to our cross.

Think about it. Was it something joyful? A wedding? The birth or adoption of a
child? The beginning of a new career? The mending of a broken relationship? If
you will open yourself up and allow God into that moment, it will be joined with
the glory of the cross and resurrection.

Or maybe you remember a difficult time, something painful or sad. Jesus
certainly understands all kinds of suffering, and we need the darkness in our own
lives to complete an honest picture. Jesus the Lord of Life is with us in our
sorrows as well as our joys. Even the jagged, torn pieces of paper are needed. If
you will open yourself up and allow God into these moments, they, too, will be
joined with the glory of the cross and resurrection.


Perhaps some people are thinking they don’t have anything in their lives
important enough to add to the cross. Maybe you think you don’t have anything
to contribute. Well, just think of any moment from the past year that you
remember clearly. It can be a very small event: finding a lost item, getting an
unexpected call from a friend, even taking a walk. Even the smallest fragments
can add texture and depth to our cross, and God will joyfully accept anything that
we freely and honestly offer. Jesus the master artist will find a place to fit all
contributions into the pattern of the whole.

After we have all added a piece of ourselves to our cross, there is one more thing
that is needed. Our image would be lifeless without the light. We can offer the
experiences of our lives as our contribution, but God is the one who provides the
illumination. We believe that when the dazzling light of Christ shines on every
part of the cross we have made, it is transformed into something new and
wonderful.

When the brilliant light is shining, we are all able to look at our Easter cross and
say: The veils have been moved away, and now I have seen it with my own eyes.


Christ has died, but He is truly risen in glory. And if we have joined ourselves to
his cross, then we too are risen in glory with him.