My friends, each year the readings for the Easter Season present a somewhat idyllic time that I think gives many of us hope that life on earth, coupled with faith, can be good – sharing all in common, as we are told that they did.  We know that Luke, the evangelist, not one of the original apostles, wrote for the Gentiles, or non-Jewish people, like us, and that he also penned the Acts of the Apostles, of which today’s first reading is taken. 

   Luke shows us a group of people who lived with, “a reverent fear,” over the “wonders and signs” that the apostles were doing in the name of their brother and rabbi, Jesus, now become the Christ. 

   A word on the meaning of “Christ” here is appropriate.  Many times, we hear, “Jesus” and “Christ” put together, almost as if “Christ” were Jesus’ last name, which it is not.  For the Jewish people, “Christ” meant the “Messiah” and comes from the Greek word, “Christos.”  When all is said and done, both groups would have seen and realized that Jesus, as the Christ, was someone, for all! 

   Luke goes on to say that these “first Christians,” or followers of Jesus, often called people of The Way, “shared all things in common” because “they believed” in the words of Jesus, and additionally, as we just heard, were “faithful to the breaking of the bread.”  And this first reading also lets us know that “God added to their numbers,” [because they praised God with] “sincere hearts.” 

   So, my friends, what are we to make of these first followers?  I think there is a place in most of our hearts that longs for such an existence – living in harmony with others, and in peace, and this is so much the case not only for us, but for people around the world.  Unfortunately, if we continue on reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we find that this idyllic beginning doesn’t last.  Humanity comes into play after a while, and they find that living so closely with others has its downside too. 

   But once again, we find that as we read Scripture, what we hear in these first, seemingly wonderful days, is only the surface message – Jesus, God, always intends that we, go deeper. 

   Peter, in today’s second reading, shows us what this looks like.  He compares our faith in, and love for Jesus, to, “fire-tried gold,” – simply put, something that must be worked on.  The people that he was preaching to, we must remember, had never seen Jesus – which, by the way, is our case as well. We know that our faith comes to us through our baptisms, and through Jesus’ Spirit, given to all who would believe, through God’s mercy, before Jesus physically left us. 

   Today’s Gospel from John is all about giving Jesus’ 1^st followers the strength to carry on the “Good News” first given them.  We can only imagine what this experience of physically and personally knowing Jesus was like for them…and it is, I believe, a good thing for us to sit with, and indeed imagine. 

   Earlier, I spoke of our faith being compared to “fire-tried gold” – this term, we are told, “represents purified faith, and a spirituality that has been tested by adversity” – something that Jesus’ apostles would discover, as we in our lives do too.

   Additionally, in today’s Gospel from John, we hear Jesus three times saying the words, “Peace be with you.” Later in the Scripture story, we will hear Jesus telling the apostles that “he will be with them always!” and we might add, that is why we should have “peace.”

   Us too, my friends, should know, believe and have faith in the fact that all that we do, or attempt to do in our one, wonderful life, we will have our brother Jesus with us – to give us strength, support us, and at times even, carry us. 

   In my ministry to the wider community, I have, over the years, given pastoral care to those in need who find me through many different sources. One such woman I have visited now for several years on a regular basis. This individual will, from time to time, speak to me about “someone who harasses her,” following her from place to place where she has lived over the years.  I know from several reliable people that there are protections in place that would make these occurrences next to impossible in a physical way.  Yet, I know she truly believes that what she tells me is the truth for her. Because she has a deep faith, I call her attention to the fact that Jesus is always with her and that she should ask him to help her.  I additionally ask her to keep her mind and heart on all that is positive and good in her life and this gives her hope. This past week, after I said this, she looked at me, cracked a grin and said, “I won at bingo three times yesterday!” 

   Life isn’t always easy, and for some, we might say, seldom is.   I believe that each of us, as we try in our world, to make a difference for the good for so many who suffer from ignorance, greed for power and control, must remember too that Jesus is “sending us” as he did the apostles before us, with the strength of the Spirit, to speak truth to power when needed, to be faithful to the one we say we follow,

and to always believe, and never forget, that we do not walk alone!  — we can’t wait for bishops to show us the way…Amen? —Amen! —Alleluia!

Happy Easter Friends—this is a day of joy and “Alleluia” truly is our song!  There is much mystery around this feast—we accept the resurrection of our brother Jesus on faith for the most part.  In modern times, our time, we might use the term, “magical” to explain what the Scriptures present as truth.  For us who have believed all of our lives, perhaps this isn’t much of a stretch—or perhaps we don’t even question the story that on Good Friday, our brother and friend, Jesus of Nazareth was put to death through the will of the powers-that-were at that time in Church and State, and that on Sunday, he rose to new life.  I believe to truly get the importance of what Easter was for those alive when Jesus was, we have to try and put ourselves in their shoes, so to speak. 

   Jesus’ apostles, when they could get their heads, and better yet, their hearts around what was truly happening, would recall that their rabbi, their brother had told them that indeed, after his death, he would “arise” in three days.  And having never experienced a resurrection, they had nothing to compare it with.  They all witnessed Jesus bringing Lazarus, “back to life,” and when he came out of the tomb, with his burial wrappings still on, and the same were removed, they recognized him. 

   Now, going back to the Scriptures, we read that those who saw Jesus, in his new life, didn’t recognize him until he spoke familiar words, or performed familiar actions, that would show his identity. 

   In John’s gospel today, in the longer version, Mary Magdala—Mary, the Tower of Faith, knew her friend and rabbi only when she heard him say her name, “Mary” in only the way that he would say it.  Another Easter reading tells us of Jesus, walking with others on the way to Emmaus, and of them not recognizing him until he stopped, at their home,  and “broke bread with them”—something that he commonly did with his followers. 

   So, my friends, it is good for us, who have heard these stories so many times, perhaps not even, really hearing them, to understand that what Mary, Peter, John, and the others witnessed was something entirely new to them—something out of this world! 

   And it is precisely for this reason that John’s account of what he and Peter found upon entering the empty tomb, is so revealing.  Remembering that the dead in Jesus’ time weren’t embalmed, but simply, “washed, and wrapped with spices” and put into a tomb, John’s account of finding the burial wrappings in one place, and the face covering neatly folded in another place, doesn’t speak of a grave robbing, as the Jewish hierarchy feared.  Someone stealing a dead body would hardly unwrap it first for obvious reasons. 

   John is trying to tell us, in so many words, that what they found in the empty tomb, was something out of the ordinary—Jesus had truly risen—whatever that meant to them!  John simply says, “they saw and believed!” Alleluia! 

   The other very important human notion for all of us to understand, more than 2,000+ years later, is how bereft and saddened Jesus’ followers felt.  We all within our community here can understand these truly human feelings as we grieve the loss of friends and family who have passed on. And just as we can still, hardly believe that someone is gone, once they die, Jesus’ followers felt the same.  For many, he was the answer to a lifetime of prayers.  Many saw him as their “King,” in the very best sense of that word — someone who would defend them against their enemies –bring peace to their land.  Even though we, in our time have a very negative view of the idea of a “king,” there were good kings in history who cared for all their people. 

   Also, the idea that Jesus hadn’t been vanquished by death was a new concept for his followers to understand.  So, if Jesus wasn’t someone who would rout out their human enemies, what was his earthly purpose?

   They would go back to this earthly question again and again until they fully understood.  Some of what they came to know is laid out quite well in today’s Scriptures. 

   The first reading from Acts, speaks about a Roman centurion, a Gentile, named Cornelius, whom Peter is speaking with, sharing the message of Jesus, the Christ—a message that Peter comes to know was truly meant for all people, all who would listen.  These first apostles came to know that Jesus’ true purpose in coming to be one-with-us, was not about “power over” others, but more so, “power for” –strength, goodness, justice, for all. 

   The 2^nd reading, Paul’s letter to the people of Corinth, speaks about this “new way” to be in our world, for ourselves and others, in a way that the people would truly understand, and for present-day, “bread makers” as well. 

   Paul uses the idea of “yeast” and how just a little bit in a measure of flour, causes the dough to rise—to grow.  The effect that yeast has, can bring about good, as well as bad, in the case of when the yeast has gone flat. We know throughout Scripture that Jesus always wants us to take the message a bit deeper.  If we start with the “dough” of goodness and truth, that is what will grow and multiply.  Likewise, if our “dough” is made up of selfishness, unkindness, injustice, power over others, that is what will grow.  I think we see this, unfortunately in our world today.

   Our brother Jesus came for one purpose—to show us how to live and to love and to grow and share that goodness with others throughout our one, beautiful, human life.  And in that sense, he becomes our savior! It would seem that when we all, each one of us learn how to do that, we will have realized that “heaven” is here, now!  Alleluia!  This year, we watched Jesus of Nazareth, by Franco Zefferelli, throughout Holy Week, and in one section, Jesus is trying to help the people he is teaching understand that what they long for, the [kin-dom], is here, now, if they can but recognize it!

   In closing my friends, just a word about why I always use the longer version of the resurrection narrative from John.  If we had stopped at verse 9, as the universal Catholic church does today, instead of going on through verse 18, we would have missed the most beautiful encounter between Jesus and Mary Magdala, the “Tower of Faith” (true meaning of “magdala”).

   In this day and age, within our Church, where the hierarchy seems to feel that women do not “image” Christ, Jesus gives the lie to that notion! Easter calls us all, my friends, “to be our best,” in the footsteps of Jesus! The “kin-dom,” which actually was what Jesus came to establish in deference to a “kingdom,” comes when we realize that we have the power to make it so, now! And, in light of these words, I would challenge, our bishop, Robert Barron, to reconsider his silence this past week in standing by the president of our country at an Easter luncheon where the president was praised and likened to our brother Jesus, and this was done as the spewed hate and meanness toward officials in the state of Minnesota, that Bishop Barron supposedly leads. It is time that he became the prophet he was anointed to be. Amen? Amen!  Alleluia!   

Friends, as you can see, our liturgical space is very stark today—no candles, altar coverings, or liturgical drapes.  We are bereft as this day marks the physical death of our brother, Jesus. Also, we each have those on our hearts from the parish who have died, Mary Paszkiewicz, Shannon Hanzel, Bob Sherman, Cathy and Eric Bartleson, Warren Galbus, and this day is the 11^th anniversary of his death, Carol shared with me.  Also, we remember Giles Schmid, and Michael Maher.

   When a loved one dies, we can feel sad, and lost, maybe even some relief that their suffering is over.  So that we might consider what it would be like not to have Jesus, along with others in our lives, the Church’s request to sit with this sadness for a time seems most appropriate.

   It is important for us to remember that Jesus’ death was part of his life, just as our deaths one day will be part of ours. You will recall that at the beginning of Lent, we were blessed with ashes and heard, “Remember that you came from the good earth, and will return there one day.”

   And for Jesus—death and resurrection go hand-in-hand.  We know this from our own lives—there are “dyings and risings”—there are losses to grieve, pains to bear, relationships that will end., through death, through ignorance.  But the good news is that in all of this “dying,” certainly things we would not choose, just as Jesus in his humanity didn’t relish the agony in the garden, the trial—all the abuse and the horrible death, his and our loving God would be with him in his human experience—all of it and for us as well!

   In addition to the actual, permanent losses, our human lives include other “dyings and risings”— and some are, heaven-on-earth experiences. We all have them.   And they often flow out of the losses—the dying.  Losing good friends, losing a home and a community that we loved, and then the realization after a loss that somehow, we made it through that awful time and that we hadn’t been alone—our God was with us in friends and family that were near and helped us out. We may have become aware on the other side of the pain that it was only God’s grace that got us through.  And if we are patient and faithful and willing, we find new friends, a more uplifting job, a better, if different home, and a new community. 

    And then, at the end of our lives is the experience of heaven—we don’t know what that will be like, we can only imagine as we recall the words of Scripture, “None of us knows what God has planned for those who have loved God in this life!”

   Good Friday and remembering our brother Jesus’ death also reminds us of those who have completed their earthly journeys from among our families and friends, others not from this community, but of our hearts.  May they rest in peace now as we all look forward one day to that eternal life that Jesus has prepared for us through his life, death, and resurrection.  We pray too for all the suffering around our world, from power, greed, and ignorance, even within our Church from those in power who want to frame our God as Someone who demands our repentance, and forgetting that our God is one of over-the-top mercy and love.  It seems that Jesus continues “to die” within our country and world, every day, because we often react in small ways that exclude and separate rather than following our brother Jesus, who always included and brought people together—found a way.  Our prayer today can be that all who are suffering in any way come to know peace and many blessings soon. I know that each of you pray daily, as do I, for our country, our world, and for servant leaders to come forward – soon, to help us be more whole, more healthy, more concerned about all the people. 

   Looking to the Scriptures today, John’s gospel is always used on Good Friday because it gives us a different focus than the other accounts from Matthew, Mark, and Luke. We  remember from Palm Sunday and Luke’s passion account that his focus was placed not so much on the detail of the suffering, but more on its meaning for each of us as depicted in Paul’s reading to the Philippians— “his state was divine, yet he did not cling to it, but became as each one of us. A few years back, in the last year of his papacy,  Pope Francis was pictured in a poncho and in a wheel chair, that some criticized, but others thought very appropriate in that he “looked like one of us!”

   In John’s account today, we simply heard Jesus say, in regard to his own personal needs, “I am thirsty.” His concern isn’t for himself but for his apostles—that they would be set free. When he does die, he simply, “gives up his spirit.” We very much get the impression that John is trying to give; of Jesus being in control of all that is happening to him. He had the power to avail himself to what this Friday in history, that we have come to call, “good” brought him, and he accepted his fate with no complaint.  As Isaiah said in the first reading, he did not cry out, even though he was badly abused.

   Even with all the suffering Jesus endured, we see only the silence with which he carried himself, so the silence built into today’s service is again, very appropriate.  Isaiah gives the truth to this notion as well— “you were like a lamb led to slaughter and didn’t open your mouth.” 

   John’s account does not include the purely human moments of the Last Supper or the agony in the garden.   John shows us Jesus as one who suffers, yes, but one who is truly the “high priest” spoken of today in the letter to the Hebrews—one who stands with us and loves us in all our weaknesses, continually calling us to be more.  We often pray that our pain might be taken away and that doesn’t often happen, but we can be sure that Jesus is truly walking with us in whatever comes because he said as much before leaving his physical existence behind. 

   The evangelist goes on to tell us that because Jesus freely chooses death, he can just as freely choose life—the new life of the resurrection. This is our hope in Jesus— to one day, do the same. In this springtime of the year, the idea of the Resurrection is one we can get our hearts around—out of the cold and damp ground comes so much life.

   Again, I wanted you to know that I shortened Isaiah’s reading, leaving out all the references of Jesus, “dying for our sins” as these concentrate on a God who apparently “needs” reparation for the sins of humankind.  I believe many within our Church, theologians included, have moved beyond a God who would ask such a price from a son.  This type of God, needing repentance was not the God that Jesus preached about when he spoke of the Prodigal returning to his father’s waiting arms, or the Good Shepherd who left the 99 in search of the lost one.  These actions of Jesus are the very ones that we, as his followers must try to replicate in our lives – not always easy, but necessary. 

   Jesus knew that his actions, his speech—declaring justice for all, speaking against the practices of his Jewish faith that didn’t go deep enough, and the state of Rome would cause him to pay the highest price for his so-called treason—death on a cross, and freely chose that. We need not look for someone to blame —God, the Jews, the Romans.  Jesus chose life to the fullest, living from his heart, and he paid the price for not going along with the status quo, for not remaining silent as so many seem to be doing in our world today. There is much talk today about DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion, and a trend in our country by some, to say that these things are not important.  These modern terms, simply put, are all about Jesus’ call “to love,” when easy, and not so easy. 

   As we live through Holy Week with our brother, Jesus, recounting the steps and recalling his life of love for us—even unto death, let us remember friends, if nothing else, that we are loved. Our God wants only good for us in life and offered his life for us to prove that. Can we really do any less than love this God of ours in return?   And we love God my friends when we love each other, our world, and all created life.  May God bless you all during this the holiest of weeks as we live, love, die, and remember! Amen? Amen!