Easter 2019

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said."

An Easter Homily One of my favorite Easter hymns is The Strife is O’er – The strife is o'er, the battle done; + Now is the Victor's triumph won; + O let the song of praise be sung! Alleluia! So what exactly is this battle that the hymn is referring to? – the hymn continues . . . Death's mightiest powers have done their worst, + And Jesus has His foes dispersed; + Let shouts of praise and joy outburst. Alleluia! The battle is as St. Paul describes it in his letter to the Ephesians, ch. 6:12  For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. – against Satan and his army of fallen angels. Vs.  4. He closed the yawning gates of hell; + The bars from heaven's high portals fell. + Let songs of praise His triumph tell. Alleluia! In the Apostle Creed we say, Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried: he descended into hell and on the third day rose again . . . . Jesus came from the Father to break down the gates of hell that, as the hymn says, “. . . bared us from entering the portals of heaven because of our sins. This event is the subject of many classic paintings – a favourite of mine is by Gustave Dore entitled THE VALLEY OF TEARS, 1883, showing Jesus in the bowels of the earth coming to call sinners. See the panel below  Justice demanded that sinners receive the same fate as the fallen angels – but mercy over road justice and armed with the authority of mercy from the Father Jesus delivers souls of sinners from the penalty of death. Jesus did not die because he miscalculated the danger he was in visiting Jerusalem at that time. He knew well what awaited him and the price he would pay for taking on Satan. If we have any hope beyond the grave, it is found in these mysteries. St. Paul lays it out crystal clear in 1 Cor. 15: “16 For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all people.

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Second reading Office of Readings  From an ancient homily on Holy Saturday "The Lord descends into hell." Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear. He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden. See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree. I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you. Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

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