AN EASTER REFLECTION: RESURRECTION
(by Fr. James Smith)
If you study the Gospel stories about the resurrection, you notice they are not primarily about what happened to Jesus, but what happened to his followers.
The Acts of the Apostles is the continuation of the Gospel according to Luke. If Luke thought the resurrection was about Jesus, he would have explained more how the resurrection happened. Instead, the story is about how the church, as the body of Christ, survived and expanded.
Let's think of some modern images of resurrection that might help us to explore it.
The resurrection of Jesus is like the cosmic Big Bang that spewed forth galaxies in every direction. The Big Bang is not the point of creation. It simply explains everything else in the cosmos.
The resurrection is like the pop of a champagne cork that allows millions of bubbles to escape.
The resurrection is like the first words of a baby, which unplug a lifelong torrent of language.
The resurrection of Jesus is like an explosion in the center of the earth that reverberates until it erupts in a surface volcano.
The resurrection is like a fetus that gradually develops into a full human.
The resurrection is like a drop of dye that infiltrates all of the liquid.
The resurrection is like a splash of perfume that permeates the atmosphere until every molecule of air is fragrant.
The resurrection is like the flu that begins as a tickle in the throat and invades every cell of the body.
The resurrection of Jesus is important in itself; it has a value all its own, even if nothing else had followed it. Just as a fetus has a value of its own even if it is never born; and a baby's first word is precious even if she never learns to speak well; and the Big Bang was an amazing event even if it had immediately fizzled. My point is not to denigrate beginnings but to emphasize the importance of their aftereffects.
Evolution did not stop with the first organism -- evolution is ongoing. History did not end with the French Revolution -- history is still happening. The resurrection was not completed 2,000 years ago -- Jesus is still rising.
Because Jesus immersed himself totally in humanity, his resurrection will not be complete until every human person is resurrected. Because every speck of matter is made of the same stuff as the body of Jesus, his resurrection will not be complete until every molecule of matter is also resurrected.
That was the original purpose of God's creation. That is the final goal of God's providence.
(This reflection on the resurrection offers something for us to pray with on this Second Sunday of Easter. It is written by Fr. James Smith, and appeared as the HOMILY in PREACHING RESOURCES for March 31, 2013 published by Celebration. As you reflect on it, say a prayer for Fr. James Smith who died this past January 5, 2013. Fr. James has shared his 'resurrection faith' for many years offering homily after homily Sunday after Sunday in this preaching resource. He had written this for publication before he died. May he rest in peace!)
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