A Homily for the First Sunday after
Easter
This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
—I
“The strife is o’er, the battle
done; the victory of life is won; the song of triumph has begun:
Alleluia!” The twelfth-century hymn
captures well the meaning of this Easter season. Easter is our victory celebration. This is the victory of Jesus Christ over sin
and death, over the devil, the world, and the flesh. And, because we are baptized into Jesus
Christ, this is our victory also.
Easter
celebrates the victory of life. We Christians do not come to Church in
Eastertide just to congratulate Jesus for rising from the dead. We come to celebrate own victory over death.
In rising, Christ destroyed not only his own death, but ours. He overturned the entire kingdom of
death. Death has no more dominion over
him; nor does it have dominion over those who live in him.
This
is the victory of which the Psalmist wrote:
O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he
hath done marvelous things.
With his own right hand, and with his holy arm, he hath gotten
himself the victory.
The Lord declared his salvation, his righteousness hath he
openly showed in the sight of the heathen.
This is the victory concerning which
Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “So
when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall
have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written [by the prophet Isaiah], ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ Thanks
be to God, which giveth us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The victory is complete, but we do
not necessarily see the effects of that victory in our daily lives. The mission is accomplished, and yet it seems
is as if there are still elements of the old regime attempting to cling to
power, and as if insurgents refuse to admit that they are defeated. The victory is won; but that does not mean
that there is not still hard work to be done.
Many centuries ago,
This morning’s Gospel lesson tells the of the extent of the victory. It begins by saying that locked doors can no
longer keep Jesus out, and that fear cannot keep his people from seeing
him. A little further on Jesus commits
to his disciples, and through them to his Church, the
power of the Holy Ghost to loose the bonds of sin. And he commissions them, those eleven
disciples who by his words (“as the Father sent me, even so send I you”) are now made Apostles, to announce his victory to
the whole world.
The Easter triumph is inseparably
linked in the Church’s liturgy with the sacrament of Baptism. It is the ancient custom of the Church,
dating back to the earliest times, to baptize new Christians on Easter. Descending into the water, each person joins
Christ in death, so that when he arises from the font he is joined with Christ
in resurrection to new life.
This morning’s Epistle lesson, which
speaks of “the victory that overcometh the world,”
links that victory to our Baptism, because it is in Baptism that we receive a
new birth as children of God, and whoever is born of God overcomes the
world. And the victory that overcomes
the world is brought to fruition by our living out in our own lives the faith
in which we were baptized.
When
As the Bishop of Rome said in his
Holy Week message this year:
We know that evil does not have the last
word, as he who triumphs is Christ crucified and risen, and his victory is
manifested with the force of merciful love. His resurrection gives us this
certainty: Despite all the darkness in the world, evil does not have the last
word. Supported by this truth, we will be able to commit ourselves with greater
courage and enthusiasm to make a more just world come into being.
It is in the Easter victory that God has the last word,
because in the resurrection of Jesus the forces of evil have been vanquished. In the Easter victory, God has brought us out
of darkness into his own glorious light.
Perhaps the finest exposition of the Easter victory is a
sermon preached on Easter Day more than sixteen hundred years ago, by John Chrysostom, the Patriarch of Constantinople. That sermon is now read every year in every
Orthodox church, as well as in many Anglican, Roman,
and Lutheran churches. Here is that
sermon:
Are there any who are devout lovers of
God? Let them enjoy this bright and beautiful
festival! Are there any who are grateful
servants? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord! Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their wages! If any have toiled from the first hour, let
them receive their due reward; If any have come after the third hour, let him
with gratitude join in the Feast! And he
that arrived after the sixth hour, let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain
no loss. And if any delayed until the
ninth hour, let him not hesitate; but let him come too. And he who arrived
only at the eleventh hour, let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives
the last even as the first. He gives
rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, as well as to him that toiled from
the first. To this one He gives, and upon
that one he bestows gifts. He accepts
the works, and He greets the endeavor. He
honours the deed, and he commends the intention. Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!
First and last alike receive your
reward; rich and poor, rejoice together!
Diligent and slothful, celebrate the day! You that have kept the fast, and you that
have not, rejoice today for the Table is richly laden! Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted
one. Let no one go away hungry. Partake,
all, of the cup of faith. Enjoy all the
riches of His goodness!
Let no one grieve at his poverty, for
the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one mourn that he has
fallen again and again; for forgiveness has risen from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the death of our Saviour has set us free.
He has destroyed death by enduring it.
He destroyed Hell by descending into it.
He embittered Hell, even as it tasted of His flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he said, "Thou,
O Hell, have been embittered by encountering Him below." Hell is embittered because it has been
abolished. It is embittered because it
is mocked. It embittered, for it is
destroyed. It is embittered, for it is
annihilated. It is embittered, for it is
now made captive. Hell took a body, and
discovered God. It took earth, and
encountered Heaven. It seized the
visible, and was overcome by the invisible.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Christ is Risen, and
thou, O death, art annihilated! Christ is
Risen, and the evil ones are cast down! Christ
is Risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is Risen, and
life is liberated! Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead; for Christ
having risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen
asleep.
To Him be Glory and Power forever and
ever. Amen!
23 April 2006
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