Easter Sunday Morning:

Acts 10:34, 37-43. Ps 118 Col 3:1-4 John 20:1-9

A baby is born, the father hands out cigars, chocolate, the mother basks in tired glory, everybody celebrates. Do not worry, I have not drunk new wine as Peter and the Apostles were accused on the first Pentecost. I am not mixing up Christmas with Easter. Besides, I doubt whether Joseph had chocolates or cigars.  The difference between the new birth and Easter, is that both have new life. However, at a baby’s birth, everyone celebrates except the baby. The child is unaware of the new life. It is content to be fed and to sleep. At Easter, everyone is aware, or should be aware of a newness of life.

Peter summarizes the Resurrection mystery in four simple sentences:

Jesus began his ministry with the baptism by John at the Jordan: The beginning

Jesus teaches and preaches in Galilee: the middle

Jesus journeys to Jerusalem, he suffers, he dies, he is buried: the end.

Jesus rises from the dead, and give us hope: a new beginning. And so we have the doors opened to us for a New Life, a new life with a hope for a place in the Kingdom.

Whether we chose the reading from Colossians or from 1. Corinthians, both speak of the quality or manner of living the new life. The letter to the Colossians speaks of a new life, which is of a different quality from the one we live here on earth. It is directed and oriented heavenwards. Our mind and hearts and desires can no longer be anchored here below, can no longer be bound by earthly desires.

This brings to mind the story of the rich young man who went away sad, because he had many possessions. It brings to mind the story of the Prodigal son, who spent all he had and was left with the empty feeling, both of earthly goods, and a heavenly vacuum.

The first letter to the Corinthians on the other hand will speak of how this new life should unfold. It must have a freshness and new-ness. It cannot be bogged down with malice and evil. It must be directed to a constant openness. We must prefer the light to the darkness.

This openness is seen in the Gospel. There is the empty tomb, it is open for all to see what is inside. You cannot bury truth. You cannot seal up sincerity. Like the cream in milk, good will always rise to the top.

People might not understand this openness to sincerity and truth. They might fail to put two and two together.

It is said that if a bird, quacks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and looks like a duck. Then it must be a duck. That is logical. But the Apostles fail to do that.

They  have Jesus’ predictions that he will rise from the dead. They have the testimony of the women who have a message from the angels. They see the empty tomb. And we are told they fail to understand.  For many of us it will take a life time of hearing the story and praying about it before we can see, understand and believe.