Dear brothers and sisters, on Good Friday when we hear the story of the suffering and death of Jesus we must feel like “No! That’s terrible!” Today we hear the rest of the story, that on the third day Jesus rose from the dead and came back to life. We can now say “Yes! Totally awesome!” “Alleluia”, “Praise the Lord,” “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118:24).
Let’s go back and look into what had happened three days before. Jesus was falsely accused and He was unjustly sentenced to a death He did not deserve. His good friend betrayed him. His trusted companions left Him. And his number one man denied Him. The people He loved demanded His crucifixion and chose to have Barabbas released in His place. It is a story of betrayal and lies, dishonesty and meanness, unfaithfulness and wicked violence directed against an innocent and helpless victim. If that were the end of the story that would be a bad story, a tragedy. But glory be to God it is not!
Death is not the end of the story. There is one more chapter. This is the most important chapter because, as the saying goes, “they who laugh last laugh best.” And in the last chapter of the story of Jesus we see Him rise from the dead in all glory and majesty. For us His followers this is good news. It is good news to know that truth is immortal. We can suppress Truth, accuse it of being a lie, condemn it, torture it, kill it, and bury it in the grave. But on the third day Truth will rise again. Always remember this: Never give up on Truth even when everybody seems to give up on it. Do not give up on Truth. Do not give up on Justice. Do not give up on doing what is right. True will always be true. Just will always be just. Right will always be right, even when the world around us would have it otherwise. It is the end of the story that counts.
“Alleluia” is a Hebrew word which means “Thanks be to God” or “Praise God.” As God’s children, we keep on thanking God for His wonderful works of mercy and love. He gives us an assurance that one day we will be with Him in Paradise and we will see Him face to face. We should be thankful to Him for this.
There was a story about a newly married couple who wanted their future children insured. So they called the insurance companies and instructed them to prepare the most comprehensive insurance coverage that they could offer. Three agents came and were trying to outdo each other. The first agent proposed: “We will insure your future children from the basket to the casket.” The second agent, not wanting to be outdone, said: “We can do better. We can insure your future children from the delivery to the cemetery.” The third one, again not wanting to be outdone, said: “We have the best offer. We can insure your future children from womb to tomb.” The wife was not satisfied. So she asked: “Is there an all-embracing coverage that anyone of you could offer?” The three agents responded: “Yes, there is, but only God provides that.” “What is it?” asked the husband. They said: “From conception to the Resurrection.” My dear friends, no one can give a comprehensive assurance of our lives except God: “From conception to the Resurrection until we become citizens of heaven.” God said in the book of Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you came to birth I consecrated you” (Jer. 1:4-5). So we should be thankful for this.
We should be thankful that through Christ’s Resurrection, God gives us hope to courageously face life’s challenges. Dear brothers and sisters without the Resurrection our suffering would be meaningless, our belief in God would be nothing, our love would be fruitless and our death would be in vain. But the Resurrection of Christ gives us unfailing hope in God’s love. We pass over from the bondage of sin to the freedom of Christ. We pass over from an insecure world to the certainty of the Kingdom of God. And we pass from mortal lives to immortal lives. “Thank God I am alive!” someone said. Again, we should be thankful for this.
Also, we should be thankful that Jesus calls us His friends in spite of what we have done. Just like what His apostles have done to Him. He did not accuse them of leaving Him alone in crisis. He gave them a second chance to change their lives. He knows our best and our worst moments, our ups and downs, our vulnerabilities, brokenness, stupidities, mistakes and hang-ups. He knows us fully and yet in spite of these, He loves us unconditionally. Again, we should be thankful for this.
The Lord has risen, let us rejoice and be glad! Alleluia! A Blessed Easter to you all!
Fr. Jojappa (Joji) Adagatla, MSC