Easter People 4-12-2020

In one family, it is a Good Friday. A job has been lost, a career
derailed. A serious illness has been diagnosed. A once-loving
relationship has unraveled. But the other members of the family put
aside their own lives and come together at the foot of their loved one’s
cross. Their love moves whatever mountain necessary, changes the
course of whatever river is in their way. Together, Mom and Dad and
Sister and Brother, Step Parent, Single Parent, and Grandparent bear
one another’s crosses to bring hope, healing, forgiveness — and
resurrection — to every aspect of their life together as a family. The
love of our families can transform tragic and desperate Good Fridays
into Easter hope.
In this classroom, it is a Good Friday. The numbers and diagrams
in the algebra text are a maze to the student. She is lost and frustrated
and discouraged and wants to quit. A tired, overworked teacher just
wants to go home after a long week; but, seeing her student’s
frustration, she takes off her coat, puts down her pile of books and papers, and patiently walks through the problems with the befuddled
student. After a lot of hard work and patience, the “lights come on.” A
teacher’s selfless caring and generous gift of time transform this
student’s Good Friday into Easter light.
At corporate, it is Good Friday. A single mother has lost all of her
vacation and leave time to care for her seriously ill child. She is about
to lose her job – and the important medical benefits critical to her
family’s survival. Her co-workers devise a plan to pool some of their
vacation time and cover her responsibilities so that she can keep her job
and benefits while caring for her son. A Good Friday of desperation is
transformed into an Easter of possibility.
If we are honest, all of us sometimes find ourselves stuck in a
Good Friday world – our problems batter us, overwhelm us, strain our
ability to cope and make it all work. Our Alleluias are tempered by
reality; we approach this Easter Day with “Christ is risen, BUT…” But
in raising his son from the dead, God affirms the Good news of his
Christ: that good can conquer evil, that love can transform hatred, that light can shatter the darkness. We need to remember and remember it well, the story of Jesus whether told in the Bible or on a movie screen
does not end in the cold hopelessness of the cross but reaches ultimate
fulfillment in the Resurrection. Easter calls us to embrace the Risen
One’s compassion and openness of heart and spirit, enabling us to
transform the Good Fridays of our lives into Easter mornings.
This Easter morning I close with a challenge for all of us!
Some years ago, I was in Rome on Palm Sunday with the youth
from our Diocese for World Youth Day. We all had the opportunity to
hear Mother Theresa of Calcutta speak.
I remember well what she said:
“Death has not put a stop to the mission of Jesus. His mission is to
be carried on through us. Living witnesses of his presence.” The
challenge, to be Easter People — not just today, but everyday. People
whose lives not just their mouths (in church) radiate (not perfectly but
as best we can) the hope — the joy – the presence of Jesus risen and
alive – right here — right now.
Let us stand and re commit ourselves to Being Easter People everyday!

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