Friday much of the Christian world remembered a horrific execution of a man who taught about peace, about the worth of persons, who lived that life… Theological understandings of who he was and what he did, and what that execution mean vary among the 2 billion or so Christians, and, well that man is a religious figure in other faiths as well, so increase that number by at least a billion, and it’s okay that there are these wide understandings, but for me my journey, my story will come from where I am, who I am, my understandings and experiences, they may not be the same as yours, and if they are I am greatly surprised. What words flow after this, are from that place where I am and/or that of the faith communities I am from… For some the events I relate to of so long ago are “historic” for some they are metaphorical, for some they are somewhere in-between, or outside those two descriptions… I ask, that you interpret and take them as they work for you, your theological understandings, your relationship and journey with the Holy.
Friday was the execution, it didn’t hit me, at least not right away. I mean this great man, this miracle worker, this person who could see through the masks and cloaks I wear and see the real me was executed. You know this man who said hey you, you are of worth, you are loved, now go and love. This man who said that I and you could change the world, this man who preached and expounded the Holy’s love, who lived it, and told of a better day, a day when we would all love one another, a day when our willingness to engage the Holy’s love and each other would bring about much needed healing and restoration to the world that the Holy created and called good, was killed in horrific fashion by the government. We thought he was going to be with us, and now he is dead… except that was nearly 2000 years ago… We know the story of what happens, but this time of year I pause, and go… No I don’t know the story… I let my body flow through the cycle of life that is before us. I allow myself to grieve, to wait… unknowing that which I know. So the execution, this horrific act, sometimes hits me right away, but it didn’t.
It took time, it wasn’t till Saturday evening, as my body ached, and screamed stories of being tired and worn out to me and needing rest that I finally felt that execution. I finally started to morn executed Christ. Part of that morning was about the ways I have stumbled, the ways I have failed to live in response to the message He proclaimed, and I feel called to live. Part of it was the realization of how worn out I feel, how I struggle to engage the Holy when life seems full of stumbling blocks, when I find it hard to find the doorways and pathways, and trails and… that I can engage to help share the love of the one who was just executed, be it many many years ago. In my mind last night I went, “I don’t think I’ll be ready to celebrate the good news in the morning…” I wonder what the early disciples would have thought had they realized the resurrection that was to come, a resurrection hinted at, but not understood by them. I wonder what they thought, not knowing… I wonder how it is that we find ourselves sometimes executing the Christ representation which we are called to be… you know how we fail to act, how we fail to share, to love, to heal…
Last night, I went… I’ll go to the tomb, and if I find it empty… I think I’ll just sit there, I don’t think I’ll be able to embrace the realization of the empty tomb, I won’t be able to understand the messengers, or see the reality I encounter as I see the Christ… When I first awoke, the sun yet to rise, I still was in that place, but when I awoke with the rising sun, and as I heard the birds chirping outside, I knew different. Christ has risen, yes indeed. Still I want to sit and ponder at the empty Tomb, but I am seeing, I am realizing the reality that it points towards, the hope and truth found in that emptiness, and emptiness which is full. Full of love, of peace, of hope, of strength. Strength to go forth and bring healing to a broken world. Hope, that I too can be restored, healed resurrected from the depths of my struggles, into the creation that the Holy formed and called good. Hope that I can find the pathway I need to embrace to be one of many proclaiming the peace of Christ, sharing that peace, sharing the love, and bring forth the peaceable community where all are loved, where creation is known to be sacred, the worth of all is known, respected, and embraced by all, where relationships a whole and healed… you know the community Jesus the Christ proclaimed, lived taught… the peaceable community, aye even Zion (as my tradition would say).
My mind ahs drifted to 2 Easter’s past. I was serving an internship as a Hospital Chaplain, and was on duty that Sunday Morning. As such I lead the Sunday worship service, gave the Easter message to a group of perhaps 20-30 gathered in the Hospital Chapel. As the service came to an end, the pager on my hip buzzed, and soon afterwards I found myself sharing with a family, and with medical personnel in the last moments of their loved one / patient’s life as they maid the decisions that would bring a form of peace and healing, but also a form of loss. It was not my last visit with them that day. I’m not 100% sure why this memory comes to mind, why I can see the cards taped to the wall, the face of the young D.O., the nurses, the patient.. at this moment in time. What I can say is in this encounter, and in this memory, I find myself saying “What.. The Tomb is Empty ‽ What shall I do, how will I respond? How will my life be different with the awareness of the continuing presence of the Holy, who can I, you, us live out the resurrection of Christ. How can we keep that mission going, How will we Live the mission and hope of Christ this day?” I find myself as well, knowing a bit more about myself, and the ways I have to serve, and hope that I will find that path, even if at times it is hard to see past the emptiness, and find the fullness that resides within it…
So let us stand from our pondering, and start to live the peace, passion, and mission of Christ. Let us allow ourselves to be healed, to be “resurrected” and go forth and do help heal, restore “resurrect” all of creation…
Peace be with us all
— Lyle II