HOMILY FOR EASTER SUNDAY YEAR C (17/4/2022)
Acts 10:34, 37-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
Easter and the Rest of us
The Bible says in 1 Cor. 15:14, that without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, “our preaching is in vain and our faith is in vain.” Again, in Rom.1:4 the Bible says that the resurrection of Jesus is a powerful declaration that Jesus is the Son of God. They killed because he said he is the Son of God. The resurrection has further proven this truth of faith. Jesus is the Son of God! Beloved in Christ, faith in the resurrection is foundational to Christianity. If you do away with the resurrection, we have nothing to believe or profess. Therefore, the resurrection is the reason for our Christian vocation. John 11:25 Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live”. The resurrection is the reason we shall live after our death. This resurrection Sunday is called Easter. It is the dawn of a new era for the disciples and the rest of us. Therefore, let us not keep quiet about this glorious dawn, let us like Mary run to the elders of our streets, run to our neighbours and friends and tell them about the Easter in words and deeds. Let us tell them the following messages about Easter:
Easter tells us that Despair is never an option- Easter demonstrates to us that no matter how bad things might look right now, God has the power to change our conditions. In spite of the darkness of Good Friday, the mourning of Holy Saturday, the tears of the women of Jerusalem, and the Sorrows of Our Lady; Easter has changed the narrative. In Easter God spoke and said no more sorrow and no more weeping, no more shame and no more pain, I have come to give you cheers for the tears. And he says to us today, despair is never an option, no matter your situation there is hope of a brighter dawn. Ps.3:3 says that “God is the lifter of my head”. May the Spirit that raised Jesus up from the grave raise us up. For he says in Hosea 13:14 “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O death, where is your sting; O grave, where is your ruin?” Beloved in Christ, never give in to despair; it is only despair that says a situation is beyond repair. But up from the grave He arose. Therefore, never give up. This country may appear so bad; don’t give up on grace! There is a silver lining at the end of the tunnel. Darkness may last all through the night but joy comes in the morning. Never give up!
Easter calls us to be the Lord’s Witnesses: The woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons was the first human being in history to see the resurrected Christ in person and recognized who He was. What an honour! Upon that honour she was given a mandate to go tell others. Anyone who has been honoured by the Lord has also been mandated by the Lord. Our mandate is to witness, like Peter and John in the first reading we are called to bear witness. Christians; witness is our business. Wherever you are, permeate that place with the presence of God. Let witnessing be your life style: tell the truth, show love, share the gospel, share your bread and praying with a neigbour. In fact, the three keys of Lent remain. The end of lent is not the end of fasting, prayers and almsgiving. Easter simply gives us the uncommon confidence to continue to fast, pray and give alms.
Easter calls us to seek the things that are above: In the Second reading St. Paul says if you have been raised with Christ seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth or beneath. Many Christians today have set their minds on earthly gains and patterns. Before his death the disciples had a mindset and so, they had to argue who is the greatest; but after the resurrection the mindset changed, they were concerned about how to gather in the upper room. They were concerned with winning souls and things of eternal relevance. Beloved in Christ, Easter comes to reset our mind, to reset is to reorder, so Easter comes to reorder our minds for heaven. We need to free our minds from vain things; we need to clear our minds from that doubt and confusion, from illicit images and videos. If we don’t do that we cannot crave ardently for things that are of eternal value. Beloved from this Easter learn not to conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom.12:2)
Easter tells us that the grave is not our final destination- In John 14:1-3, Jesus tells the disciples, do not let your heart be troubled, believe in God and believe also in me, he says I go to prepare a place for you that “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” This is true for all Christians. The resurrection proves that Jesus has the power to live up to this claim. He will come and take us to himself and we will dwell with him. Beloved in Christ, one may die and be buried in the Church’s cemetery or in a grave dug in one’s compound. The funeral may say “we now take the corpse to the place of it final rest” but that does not mean that the grave is one’s final destination. Up from the grave he arose! Beyond the grave is paradise for those who have prepared themselves. Just as Jesus demonstrates to us today that the grave is not our final destination I stand upon that revelation and pray that after our earthly sojourn the grave will not be our final destination in the name of Jesus. Amen! God bless you! Happy Easter.
