Sermon For Easter Sunday

 


SOLEMNITY OF THE LORD’S RESURRECTION


Imagine for a moment that it’s 1967. You’re at the theater, getting ready to watch the latest James Bond movie. Much to your dismay, the hero is gunned down within the first five minutes! It’s definitely not what you expected. Nevertheless, since you’ve paid the admission, you decide to wait the situation out. After all, what did it say on the poster? It’s spelled out very clearly, in bold letters: YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE.  


Soon you come to realize that this was all being staged by the people at British Intelligence. It was a deception, intended to mislead the opposition. Bond is not dead. He’s alive, he’s well, and he’s stirring things up in Japan. We hear one of his colleagues making the observation: You have a lot of energy for a dead man, Mr. Bond! Of course, it’s said tongue-in-cheek. The death was a charade. Bond appeared to die, but he didn’t actually die. 


Meanwhile, let’s consider the case of Jesus. Given what’s happened to him, how can he be anything else but dead? Think of the scourging, the crowning with thorns, the ordeal of carrying the cross, the nails penetrating his flesh, the loss of blood, the asphyxiation that results from hanging in that position, not to mention the spear being thrust into his side. Even if he still had some breath left in him (which he didn’t), he’s subsequently sealed within a tomb; beyond the reach of anybody who could administer first aid. We can safely pronounce him as dead. 


He has indeed died. But has he been conquered? It looks that way, at least initially. We will discover, however, that the sacrificial death was a necessary part of the divine plan. Necessary, not in the sense that we’re dealing with a bloodthirsty God. It’s not that God demands blood so that his colossal rage can be satisfied. Rather, it’s more about the Son fulfilling his journey. He has already taken his place among the living, by being born of the Virgin Mary. Now, by way of the Passion, he takes his place among the dead. To what purpose? Our response comes from St. Paul: this is how Jesus becomes Lord of both the living and the dead (Rom. 14:9). 


Jesus enters into solidarity with us. We accept his solidarity by being baptized. Through the waters of baptism we find ourselves being bonded with the “complete” Christ. By “complete” we mean the Christ who preaches, who teaches, who performs miracles, who suffers on the cross, who navigates the abode of the dead. He’s also the Christ who overcomes; he’s the Christ who scores a victory, not just for himself, but for all those who are committed to him. Though swallowed up by the jaws of death, he emerges more alive than ever (see Jonah 2:1-11). 


Therefore, try to appreciate the fact that there is more than one way of being alive. At some point, your biological way of life will run its course. But what about that second way of being alive? Jesus provides you with an additional way of being alive; will that way of life also simply run its course? The Lord himself answers that question in the Gospel of John, chapter ten: If you belong to my flock, then you have been endowed with the gift of eternal life (10:28). He ventures forth from Heaven so that eternal life can be granted to a fallen world. What would constitute the motive? According to John 3:16, the motive is pure love. 


Returning briefly to Mr. Bond, we get to listen in as he finally has a confrontation with his nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The villain initiates the exchange: They told me you had been assassinated in Hong Kong. Bond explains: This is my second life. Blofeld counters: You only live twice, Mr. Bond. Twice ends up being enough for Agent 007. Twice will be sufficient for us, if we can maintain a New Testament perspective. Cherish being alive, being alive in the way that biology makes possible. Furthermore, recall that there is a second way of being alive: being alive in the way that Jesus makes possible. Call it “living twice.” And, speaking in sacramental terms, twice is more than enough. 

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