Second Sunday of Easter 'C'

Sunday April 15, 2007

It’s all about ‘hands-on’ witness.

It is astounding that despite the passing of time and the repetition of the texts describing the first Easter, new insights continue to emerge from a careful reading of these biblical accounts.

I expect this is no different from the experience of listening to family stories over and over again. Haven’t you as I heard someone say, “I’ve heard that story a hundred times but this is the first time I got the point?”

My mother was a great storyteller but she never told the same story twice the same way. She was prone to exaggeration but the core of her message was always faithful to the facts. She would embellish the details to make the point. When I challenged her “spin”, she would say, “Be still! You’re confusing the story with the details.” Of course, she was correct. The details were less important than the lesson. The story is greater than the sum of its details.

During this season many Christians, Catholics among them, continue to listen to the Resurrection story as they search for Jesus in the empty tombs around the world; searching not for a dead body but for the risen Christ. No, they are not literally heading for an empty tomb but they are looking for the assurance that Jesus’ resurrection was not a hoax; exploring a mystery that defies human explanation.

The Easter ‘event’ is not about the resuscitation of Jesus but about his new identity in the community of believers. Commenting on the appearance of Jesus “through locked doors,” one biblical scholar, Richard Cassidy, put it this way: “In his new identity, Jesus is no longer subject to the constraints of time and space.”

Through a wide use of metaphors the evangelists attempted to convince their readers and us of the reality of Jesus’ real presence in the emerging faith and witness of early believers. Please note that the term ‘witness’ does not necessarily mean ‘eye witness.’ It refers as much to those who experienced in faith, the crucified but living Christ and who could not help show it in their words and deeds. “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

The graphic description of Thomas’ doubt and instant conversion is another dramatic attempt to connect the crucified Jesus to the risen Christ, not an attempt to establish proof for his resuscitation. This is a very subtle but important distinction. Notice that it was not putting his hand into Jesus’ hands and side but Jesus’ words that cast away Thomas’ doubt.

If Jesus has truly risen and living in his body, the Church, should we not find proof of his resurrection in the life and mission of the Church? And if so, might we not want to search for those qualities within our community that testify to the reality of the risen Christ among us? What is our witness and to what are our energies directed? For a start when ‘outsiders’ come into our community do they leave saying such things as “ Wow! We have seen the living Christ?” Or do they leave mumbling, “What a dead bunch!”

As member s of this faith community we are called to be animators of the word of God. Do we empower people to goodness or better, to ‘Godness?’ For whom or for what are we ready to die? Or rather I should ask, for whom or for what are we willing to live?

John’s gospel, the last of all the gospels was written almost one hundred years after the events it describes. It could not possibly contain all the details as in a journal or news account. It is loaded with theology but the message then and now is about ‘hands on’ witness to a world in which so many have succumbed to the vulgar and turned a deaf ear to the sacred.

The question has been asked more than once, “Were we to be arrested for living our faith would there be enough evidence to convict us?” It’s a good question. Although I do not wear my faith on my sleeve, I hope there is sufficient evidence to convict me of my discipleship with Christ but alas; I have some doubts. “I ain’t always the feller me mudder tinks I am!”

I admire the courage of the Rutgers coach and her team to speak out no matter what the consequences. As I listened to their comments, I had the feeling that were touching the core values of many ‘people not only in the bleachers but in the pew.’ No, I do not believe Imus is a racist but the fact that he did not consider his crude remarks a cruel blow to the dignity of other human beings is an indicator of how high is our tolerance for vulgarity and subtle forms of racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. As a society, I fear we have reached a new high in low taste.

But the remarks of Imus only reflect the vulgarity and cultural ‘sleaze’ that is rampant in the entertainment industry. Where is the outrage against the degrading hip-hop and rap culture that fills the airwaves and video screens? I’m referring not to the style but to the content of so much of the ‘music.’ But they provide what the market will bear and the consumer will buy.

And what of the lack of integrity in commerce and government? A day does not pass without the news of another high official who has betrayed our trust for personal gain.

It took thirty and forty years for most victims of sexual abuse to tell the story of the slaughter of their innocent souls by trusted religious and in all too many cases by trusted family members and I still hear ‘good Catholics’ say, “Why don’t they just get on with their lives.” Make no mistake about it, sexual abuse is a life-altering experience. Life-altering whether against a child or a vulnerable adult.

I was taken by the comment of the Rutger’s coach on Friday morning: “They have begun the process of forgiving.” Indeed, forgiveness is a ‘process’ through which the offender over time is forgiven but absolution involves restorative justice. Taking responsibility for one’s misdeeds means being accountable and accepting the consequences. Those who abuse their office lose their jobs! This includes you and me, priests and presidents, bishops and CEOs; and this includes the bizarre miscarriage of justice by the aggressive prosecutors who convicted the three young Duke students of crimes they did not commit. They paid a high price for their ‘fun’ but they should not be indicted for a crime they did not commit. They lives have also been changed forever.

As Christians of the twenty-first century, I think we need to speak about the “Good News” that Jesus came to proclaim but I also think we need to recognize the bad news in the light of the Good News too.

And so the way we go about our ‘hands-on’ witness is itself a witness. Fighting hate speech with hate speech never works. Vindictive bashing of political, economic or ecclesiastical leadership cannot be the venue of a true Christian. Jesus engaged his listeners in an effort to touch their hearts rather than crush their spirits. “In you, O Lord, justice and mercy meet.”

Living Christianity in any age has never been and will never be a piece of cake and there are no cheap graces. Every day brings new opportunities to be instruments of God’s saving grace to others and we don’t have to wear our religion on our sleeve to give witness to what we believe.

And that’s what true religion is all about.

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