Homily Easter 2014, Year A
Christ Church, Bobcaygeon, St. John’s, Dunsford

Things had never looked bleaker for the disciples of Jesus the day after they had seen their master, their leader, their friend, the one who they believed was the Messiah, brutally executed by the Roman authorities and laid in a heavily guarded tomb.

The tomb was sealed, and could only be opened on punishment of death. Peter, who had denied Christ three times, was a broken man, weeping and discouraged. Judas, who had betrayed Christ, hanged himself.

It was left to Mary Magdalene, a friend and follower of Jesus and another Mary to come to the tomb that first Easter morning to find out if Jesus had indeed fulfilled his own prophesy that he would rise gain on the third day.

The fact that only his female followers were brave enough to go to the tomb was evidence that his disciples were a dispirited lot.

And all the four Gospels indicate it was women who first attended the tomb, despite their lack of status or credibility in the first century world.

So Mary was literally the first evangelist, the one who heard the message from the angel that Jesus had been raised, and would be going to Galilee to appear before those who followed him.

Then Jesus meets the two Marys and tells them not to be afraid—to share their good news with the disciples, so they will go to Galilee to see him.

One interesting part of the story of the empty tomb and the Resurrection is that Jesus never appeared to Pilate or to the Jewish authorities, or those who sought to oppose.

His appearances after rising to new life in a new body, were aimed primarily at re-energizing his disciples and others who followed him in order that they might go out and preach the Gospel to all nations.

It was an extraordinary transformation, because if the disciples had not take up the cross, and preached the Gospel we would not be here worshipping today as part of two billion Christians throughout world.

Jesus resurrection was an act of civil disobedience, of proving that even the power of Roman domination could not squash God’s activity in the world.

Jesus is and was Lord, not the Roman Casear, or any secular rulers since.

The Kingdom of God broke into the world, and demonstrated that death would not triumph over truth.

To the Romans it must have been perplexing. How could a Jewish peasant leader, a prophet, a teacher, triumph over the crushing weight of Empire.

The Romans persecuted these Christians unmercifully, but the movement begun that first Easter continued to grow. No matter how many Christians were thrown to the Lions, they wouldn’t deny their faith or go back to the Gods of Rome.

Hundreds of years later Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, and unfortunately ever since then the church has been somewhat intertwined with power and privilege rather than carrying on its emphasis on following Christ, with his care for the poor and marginalized, and opposition to economic exploitation. Christ sought justice for all, not the domination by the few of the many.

Let us move forward to today. In some ways we may feel like those disciples did on Holy Saturday. Our secular society seems to be losing its moral compass. The rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer. Many youth are discouraged because there aren’t enough jobs. Our media exert unparalleled power, at the expense of the simpler pleasures of life. Our economic values get distorted when cutting taxes becomes more important that what taxes are used for—providing four our common life together, our roads, our schools, our health care system, our provision for those who are poor or disabled and the list could go on.

We also face a society where we are afraid to trust each other, and the internet has opened a new level of bullying, fraud , and vulnerability.

We like the disciples can hide behind closed doors and try to preserve our lives from all this.

But Jesus continues to call us to follow him, to preach the gospel, to serve others, to take risks and do the right thing.

Death does not have the final word. Jesus sets us free to challenge worldly powers when they are wrong, to pick up our cross, to resist the violence of the domination systems which still continue even in our relatively peaceful part of the world.

That may seem like a tall order.

But as I hear from other clergy about the new and inspiring ministries which are developing in every part of our Diocese I know that the picture of the church often presented in the media is not accurate. We may be declining in membership in some areas, but we are gaining in others, and those who remain members are much more committed to new ministries to address the mission of the church on a local level.

I can tells you that the parish I left in Toronto where I was a parishioner (not on staff), has recently hired two women clergy to work in the fields of Christian education –for children. youth and adults. The parish is building for growth.

In our own deanery we have the Theologian in Residence program. During Lent between 30 and 40 people joined in lively weekly studies at St. James Fenelon Falls and St. Paul’s Lindsay, both with Sylvia Keesmatt, our resident theologian.

We will be hosting Sylvia in the fall for another Bible study unlike any you’ve been to before. It is called Colossians remixed.

A committed and energized laity are the only way the church can grown. I will do my best as your priest in a ministry of word, sacrament and pastoral care. But I will also try and work with and enable lay leaders.

Today we commission officially our lay pastoral visitors. I think it is important to recognize their work. I couldn’t work effectively without them especially as I get more experience in this congregation, and when we work together we can provide the kind of pastoral care our congregations needs.

My Easter hope is that we can gain strength in the coming year as a Resurrection people. God has much for us to do in ministry. And we can all play a part.