Peace

He is risen! He is risen, indeed!!

I had time this morning to read and reflect on this day, Easter, and what went on so many years ago, and what goes on today. Today, despite the joyous occasion, our minds wander. We are troubled. The good news of over 2000 years ago is intermixed in our minds with the troubling news of today. Some people today – even some Catholic people – look to the Holy Father not to celebrate this greatest of events, but to speak of today’s events. They look for him not to bow down to God, but to bow in humility this day to men.

Thinking on these things, I reflected on the readings of yesterday, Holy Saturday, when the events celebrated on Easter began:

SECOND READING – From an ancient homily on Holy Saturday
Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles in fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

I am you God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

This is the day we celebrate God’s forgiveness of man. No one was ever sinned against more, and forgave more. Starting with Adam, he opened the gates of heaven to all who have offended him. This is the greatest day of forgiveness ever! How dare ANY man seek to use this day, of all days, to ask – or even demand – that any man seek HIS forgiveness. How dare any man demand more than even God did. There is only one forgiveness to be remember, celebrated this day. Man’s sins against man are nothing compared to man’s sins against God.

Peace be to you, my brothers and sisters. On this of all days, peace be to you. For some of you, that peace comes with great difficulty. But I submit to you that if on this day you harbor ill will to your brother, if you live this day without peace, then you may never find it in this life. If your brother came today and bowed down to you seeking forgiveness, tomorrow would you forget your anger? Would you really forgive him? If he paid you millions of dollars in reparation, would you be satisfied? If offended by the Church or a Church member, would the pope himself kneeling before you satisfy your troubled soul? Is that the lack of peace you feel this day?

Men have always offended other men. Whether forgiveness was asked – or given – it often mattered not. Among men, that is the way of things. Fights, rage, wars, deaths, all come about because of men’s sins against each other. And generations later, many still cannot forgive. It is no different for men today as it was yesterday. We cannot understand or accept the words of forgiveness in Matthew, chapters 5 and 18, where we are told it matters not who offended who, but that YOU are the one to seek reconciliation with your brother.

I ask you to again read the words assumed of Jesus to Adam in the words above. This is the forgiveness he gave to Adam, to all men, to us. This is the forgiveness that matters, for all eternity. Let us this day not think that our forgiveness is more important. Peace be to you, my brothers and sisters, for This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Grant us Peace.