Today is the last Sunday in Eastertide, the celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, and with his conquering death, we too are resurrected, now and when our bodies die, releasing our souls to fly heavenward.
Thursday is the Feast of the Ascension, the celebration of Christ’s new body, his resurrected body, ascending to Heaven after his time on Earth, giving witness to his resurrection.
I have found it is true, as others have noted, that the gospel accounts read as historical witness to what these writers saw and heard. They lived in Christ’s time and place and gave witness with their testimonies, passed on orally in the first century, then written down. They are like depositions in time, reaching to us two thousand plus years later, and setting an example for us to reach others in our own time and in the future, should our words be preserved.
The great seasons of the Church Year give witness as well, as the Church devises over time a crystalline channel of memory through story and song, poetry and prayer. These celebrations do not need to be read or written down, for they are living, breathing, enactments of the gospel testimonies.
And should we be confused as to the meaning of these events, we look to the Early Church and the letters of Paul and others who trained these baby Christians to become adults in Christ.
What is the meaning for mankind in these revelatory actions of God the Son on Earth?
The intersection of Time with Eternity seen in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the Son of God, effected a revolution of thought and action, continuing to be of huge consequence to the world. This revolution came to be known as the Judeo-Christian tradition, the mores and morality of what we call Western Civilization. Never before were men and women treated with sacred dignity, being made in the image of God. Never before were we held to a such a standard of behavior, to such a judgment, to such consequences for our unlove, our selfishness. Never before did we have a blueprint showing the way to happiness, even joy, an instruction manual, the Holy Bible.
And as the Bride of Christ, the Church becomes the means to share these miraculous and mysterious truths with one another.
All of these great gifts God has given mankind, distilled into governments and charities and cultures and societies that embrace Christianity – or Judaism – are under serious threat today. And yet Christians are not afraid, for they know how the story of mankind will end. And in the end is their beginning.
Nevertheless, in the time that is ours, the life we own, we witness to the God of love who created you and me. We witness to life, from the baby in the womb to the last days of our elderly to those suffering early deaths. We witness to the family, the life blood society that trains our children to be truth-tellers too when they come of age. We witness to the delight in being a woman or a man, knowing that we are made in the image of God, Imago Dei.
And so we sing our song of love to the God of love, who befriends us, instructs us, delights in us, and raises us up with him to sing our song in the New Jerusalem along with all those who have gone before us who witnessed in their own lifetimes.
In this month of Mary’s May, we thank Our Mother Mary for saying yes long ago in a village called Nazareth. Her fiat made all the difference to the world, our world. Our fiat makes all the difference too.
And so we say with her, be it unto me according to thy will.
Amen.
Christine Sunderland
Christine Sunderland 