April 20th, 2025: Easter Sunday Homily
He’s alive! Happy Easter! We made it through the desert!
The burial cloths were there, in the tomb and Jesus was not!
Think about it, imagine for just a minute, what happened in that tomb…in the early morning hours before daylight – before Mary Magdalene. The body of Jesus, dead, lying flat. As he came back to life, rising to a sitting position, shedding the burial cloths starting with the one that had covered his head: he unrolled that, maybe so he could see. Rolling that up and placing it to the side as scripture tells us and then standing up and stepping out of the rest of the burial cloths. If you listen to the other scriptures, a cloth of dazzling white must have appeared on his body. The guard outside the tomb had fallen asleep. And then Jesus moved his hand (maybe) and the stone rolled away. And the light of the world walked out of that cave (tomb) into the dark of the early morning, bringing eternal light and eternal life to the world: to you and to me. The light shown in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it!
What does he ask of us as a result of all of this? He told us just Thursday to wash one another’s feet (the effect service of him, of Christ, in others). He told us on Friday to receive the Holy Eucharist: “Do this in remembrance of me.” He was very specific about those two things.
So, how do we do that…in this time? What difference will it make in our lives? Do we do what he instructed us to do? Do we walk out of that tomb, with him to eternal life? Or do we stay stuck in our own cave/tomb?
Over the past 30 years there have been an average of 3 deaths per year of people who walked into caves – like Mammoth Cave right down I-65 – and never walked back out. They walked in voluntarily, got stuck in one way or another, in their own cave, that became their tomb, all because they could not find their way back out. Consequently, they died of starvation. They were not fed.
How many of us do precisely that, only dying a spiritual death, because we refuse to get up, get dressed, and walk out of our own cave, that becomes our tomb?
We have in our country what we call “man-caves”. Anyone have one of those? It’s much easier to sit at home in the man-cave on Sunday morning, isn’t it? We say: I’m too busy. Or: I can pray at home; I don’t have to go to church. I only get one “day…of…rest”.
I remember all too well when our four kids were young. I’ve always felt a call, a pull, to go to church – I’ve always felt that call. But during this particular time, we had missed church three or four weeks in a row. And I remember very distinctly the first week we went back, that the homily really kind of grabbed me that day. After Mass, I walked up to Father John and said, wow, what a great homily; that really grabbed my soul. He said back to me: good morning, Mike. I haven’t seen you and your family around very much lately. I said, yea, I know Father, I’ve been busy. Father John responded: I sure am glad to see you this morning.
You know what occurs to me: when we allow ourselves to get stuck in our own cave: our own tomb, are we positioning our children, or others who rely on us as an example, to get lost in their own tomb as well, unable to find their way out…unable to be fed?
Where else do we get stuck in our own caves? What about gossip? We huddle around and speak ill of one another – heads down and buried in our own caves, instead of getting up, getting dressed and going out to face those about whom we would gossip, with a kind word or a helping hand, washing their feet; because they, like us, have been wounded by the world; by life. And their wounds may be much more severe than ours.
We have our own wounds as well, our feelings of inadequacy, that keep our heads and our spirits down, in our own dark tomb. We fail to recognize the celebration, that today Jesus makes all things new; and by all things he means all people. We are forgiven, we are redeemed, we are good enough. Because of what He did for us!
If you don’t believe that, think about this: Every disciple whose feet Jesus had just washed on Thursday evening, failed. Every one of them deserted or disowned him, or worse! Within hours of the time he had washed their feet. And they had all just said, “surely it is not I, Lord”. I would never betray you!
And through the mercy of Jesus, every one of them were reconciled and forgiven. Every one!
Oh, wait, there was one apostle that was not reconciled, at least not in this life. Judas! Why? He was stuck in his own tomb. He refused to ask for forgiveness. He thought he was not worthy. I wonder if Judas knew about Peter’s denial. I wonder how Judas’ story would have ended if he had asked for Jesus’ forgiveness.
The good news is…Did you know that the word “Gospel” actually means “Good news” in Greek, the language in which the New Testament was written?
The good news is, today, Jesus makes all things new. And by all things, he means all people! All has been forgiven by his sacrifice. The past is in the past. We have an opportunity to go forward and be reconciled! If you’re still concerned about that, go to reconciliation. You’ll lose that concern real fast!
So, I ask you…on this Easter morning; whatever has you stuck, lost and wandering in your own cave – in your own tomb: Answer Jesus’ call! To follow him out of that tomb. Begin today anew. Begin each week – maybe each Sunday morning. Get up, get dressed, leave that tomb, let the light of the world guide you into new life. Come to the eucharist, to the community of us, who are sinners – you and me alike, but have been forgiven. Rejoyce together, praise him, thank him, and receive him together: body, blood, soul, and divinity!
For on this Easter morning, this is what he calls all of us to do. If you don’t believe me, ask him…