Here comes Peter Cotton Tail, hopping down the bunny trail. Put on your Easter bonnets, and prepare for the Easter parade. Egg hunts, really? Spring flowers? Hum! Easter's on its way. Wow!
Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord. So we are told. The tradition has been handed down from one generation to the other. But with all the glamor and celebrations going on, you would think that the resurrection is the last thing on people's minds. After singing Christ the Lord is Risen Today, or another related hymn, Jesus Christ is Risen Today on Sunday morning, what do we do when we leave church and go home? Do we continue to rejoice in the good news of the resurrection, or do we leave that behind at church just to go home and have a ham dinner with our family and/or friends? What is Easter really about? Is it about wearing our "Sunday best?" Is it an occasion for a fashion show? Is it a continuation of Saturday night at the Apollo?
This writer (yours truly) believes strongly in the historical event of the resurrection. The Apostle's Creed reminds us of that when it reads "The third day He rose again from the dead." I also believe in the power of the resurrection to transform lives, both individually and collectively. I also believe in the challenge that a certain theologian, Rudolf Bultmann presents. Bultmann spoke about the resurrection in terms of our dying to our selfishness and sense of inadequacy and rising to the maximum of our potential. Bultmann apparently was not concerned, as many of us would be with whether or not the resurrection was a literal historical event. In fact, Bultmann believed that for us to understand and apply the message of the Gospel in our time, we would have to "demythologize" the New Testament, i.e. strip it of its mythical elements, and reinterpret it in the light of today's reality. I would like to invite you to participate in demythologizing the story of the resurrection. In saying that, I am not denying the historicity of the resurrection. As I said, I take it to be a literal historical event which has historical implications.
If the resurrection is merely an event of the past, it is myth and has no relevance for us today. But if that event of the past energizes us to immerse ourselves in the struggle for human liberation, then it is a powerful event. If we leave it in the past, it is just an encrusted and stale legend. It would then, force us to ask what is the "so what" of a past historical event?
Precisely because God's action in resurrecting the crucified Lord is so powerful, I humbly and respectfully submit the challenge for all of us to be immersed in this wonderful power. I submit that this power should be a motor force that drives us into the struggle against all forms of human injustice, whether it be classism, racism, sexism, or any other type of "ism" that destroys God's creation. Because Christ is risen, we say "hell no" to all types of dehumanization. May the power of the Risen Lord motivate us to go out and combat everything and everyone that seeks to destroy all the good things which God has made. May the Risen Lord empower us through the Holy Spirit to engage in liberating and redemptive task. Happy Resurrection Sunday!
In the Name of the Creator, and of the Risen Lord, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Rev. Dr. Juan A. Ayala-Carmona
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