On behalf of Deacon Larry and our parish staff, a Blessed Easter to all of you. Thank you for joining us on this special feast. Easter comes very late this year – although for those who can make it until 2038, Easter will come even later: April 25. Personally, by that date I am hoping to celebrate the Resurrection face to face with Jesus elsewhere.
You are here this morning because, like me, you know that Easter is the heart of our Christian faith. Had Jesus not risen, he would have been remembered as a footnote in history, some upstart crucified for calling himself “king of the Jews.” I am convinced that Jesus’ death and resurrection isproof of everlasting life. Not only faith, but also the evidence of an empty tomb, burial garments left behind, and the testimony of people like Peter and Mary Magdalene who saw the risen Lord have led many to that same conclusion
The ultimate desire of many Christians is heaven – and Iimagine you want to be there too. I read about a priest who took a very active approach to getting people to heaven. He actually went out to taverns looking for lost sheep. Once he entered a tavern and noticed five guys sitting around a table. He announced: “All of you who want to go to heaven, stand against the wall.” Four of the guys got up and formed a line. The priest looked at the fifth man, still sitting at the table. He asked, “What’s the matter. Don’t you want to go to heaven?”The man looked at the priest and said, “I do, Father, but I thought you were forming a group to leave right now!”
Reaching Heaven, that is, eternal life, means embracing the Father’s will and Jesus in this lifetime. Our faith journey has to begin here on earth, or it will never begin. Once we take our last breath, it will be too late to begin that journey.
I want to help bring you to heaven before it is too late. Daily headlines remind us that death greets many people when they least expect it. Until that happens, we should heed St. Paul’s advice, “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” One of the good things in our culture is that so many people desire “spirituality.” We sense that there is something more to life than just getting ahead or acquiring more “toys.”Across the board, people are saying they want spirituality.
The desire for spirituality is good, but desire is not enough. It can be like desiring to get into better physical shape. Almost all of us want that, especially as summer draws near. The problem is putting that desire into action, taking that first step and staying on track.
Many people recognize the need to exercise, so they invest in the equipment to do so like a treadmill or a Nordic Track.They start out good, but soon other things get in the way.Eventually the equipment winds up in a yard sale!
The same thing can happen with spirituality. It is not enough to think about it. Like an athlete conditioning for a marathon, a person seeking intimacy with Jesus has to practice spirituality. That requires things like Sunday Mass, daily prayer and examining one’s conscience. We have a program here at St. Hubert’s for that – and I want to be your coach.
I know I am not the most dynamic preacher in Langley, but if you come each Sunday you will hear powerful Scripture readings and prayers that have stood the test of time. Above all, you will meet Jesus – the same Jesus who died for you on the cross and rose on Easter morning. That same Jesus is physically present to us in the Eucharist.
Sometimes people stay away because they have a distaste for “organized religion.” Mark Shea, a local Catholic author and evangelist responds this way to such an excuse, “I don’t believe in organized religion. I’m a Catholic.” He has a point.
If by “religion” you mean a man-made scheme to make sense of things, we are not a religion. As we see this Sunday, we are not the ones who take the initiative. God does. The Church exists not because somebody came up with a bright idea – but because Jesus rose from the dead. We are here because of what God has done. We are the Body of Christ – the Risen Jesus.
And about being organized, I’ve been a priest for nearly thirty years – and I have seen more disorganization than organization! I confess that I have contributed my share to the chaos. Each morning I pray that God will bring some good out of the chaos of our world. God did so on Easter morning. He can do it today in your life and mine, in our families and in our parish as well. So, if you don’t like organized religion, welcome to the Catholic Church! Come to St. Hubert. But, most important, come to Jesus.
I said I want to be your spiritual coach. At the same time I assure you that in the spiritual life, all of us are beginners. A good physical fitness program always goes back to the basics of nutrition, breathing and exercise. In the same way, the spiritual life again and again returns to the basics. We will do that in a few moments by renewing our baptism vows. You will notice that the response to each question is, “I do.” It has to be a personal response, a commitment from you.
St. Paul tells us to seek what is above. I invite you to join me in doing that, not just today but in the weeks ahead as we celebrate the fifty days of Easter. Together we can reach our goal: an eternal union with the Risen Jesus in the halls of heaven but meanwhile take time to pray to nurture your faith. Everything will go better if you do. Come to Jesus, He alone is the source of forgiveness, healing, and redemption. He alone is the same, yesterday, today and forever.