Sunday, April 16, 2006
Of Things Divine: Christ Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed!, Easter-B
Not many people are familiar with the name Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin. In the early part of the last century he was a very powerful man who had great influence. A Russian Communist leader, he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution 1917, was editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda (which, by the way means, truth), and was a full member of the Politburo. His works on economics and political science are still read today.
There is a story told about a journey Mr. Bukharin took from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism. Addressing the crowd, he aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity hurling insult, argument, and proof against it.
An hour later he was finished. He looked out at what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of men's faith. "Are there any questions?" Bukharin demanded. Deafening silence filled the auditorium but then one man approached the platform and mounted the lectern standing near the communist leader. He surveyed the crowd first to the left then to the right. Finally he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the Russian Orthodox Church: "CHRIST IS RISEN!" En masse the crowd arose as one man rising and the response came as if it was one voice crashing like the sound of thunder: "HE IS RISEN INDEED!"
Last night something similar happened right here at Holy Rosary and at Catholic churches around the world. And in a few minutes another similar event will take place right in our midst. No one is going to malign Christianity. No one will preach atheism. Not here. Not on my watch. However, that’s not to say it’s not happening, and happening more often that we realize.
There are new voices that echo the “reasonable assault” and insults Mr. Bukharin hurled at Christianity. Some do it through art that blasphemes many tenets of our faith. Remember the incident a few years back of the portrait of the Virgin Mary that was smeared in cow dung? What about the many music videos our children watch, and I can think of those produced by one artist called Madonna that display Christian images in unflattering, immodest and even sexual ways?
There are with executive power who will kowtow to the threats of Islamic extremists and prohibit the creators of the South Park cartoon series (a vile work in and of itself) from portraying Mohammed but don’t think twice about allowing them to use a distorted image of Jesus and to denigrate Christianity and its believers on a regular basis.
The world’s best-selling novel of all time, The DaVinci Code, will make its theatrical debut next month, luring yet more disciples into accepting the myth it perpetuates that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene and that the Catholic Church has systematically concealed this “historical fact” that there are descendants of Jesus alive today for some 2,000 years.
The recently discussed “Gospel of Judas” turns the whole story of Jesus’ death and resurrection on its ear, depicting a conspiratorial relationship between Jesus and the hero Judas to the very end. It is a new way of thinking so many are rushing to concur with its “truth.” Unfortunately, the “Gospel of Judas” contains no real “good news,” something that is necessary to even be considered a “gospel.”
About ten days ago there was a report that Jesus never walked on water. That’s tight. He didn’t walk on water; he walked on ice. And there’s the study released in the last week claims that Jesus didn’t even die on the cross, but that his resurrection was a hoax perpetuated by the lies of his disciples. (I guess those that did the study never themselves read the Gospels where it is reported the Jews were making the exact same claim within hours of receiving the news that Jesus was raised from the dead and seen by his disciples and others.)
Those are just some of the 21st century detractors of Christians and their faith that Christ is risen. It is unfortunate that so many have listened to them and have believed what they heard. We human beings are so fickle, changing as the wind blows, chasing the latest fashions and theories and believing every “revelation” or spirituality that media moguls decide to promote or hanging on to every word of the latest, hippest, most charismatic preacher regardless of the homiletic substance, or lack thereof. So many have believed in these false teachers, the fanciful myths and false religions that a poll printed in last Saturday’s Commercial-Appeal says that less than one-third of all Christians – less that one third! – believe in the resurrection of the body, one of the principle points of our faith and the cornerstone of our hope.
Yet, last night we will witnessed men and women, boys and girls come forward and testify to their belief that Christ is Risen (He is risen indeed!) just as the powers of the world would have them deny it. Some entered into the very death of Christ in the waters of Baptism and rose with him to new life. Others were confirmed in the faith they already profess as they entered into full communion with the Catholic Church. It happened here at Holy Rosary and around the world.
And, it is not only they that stood to profess their belief that Christ is risen (He is risen indeed!). We, too, in just a few moments will once again be called to testify to our faith that the grave could not contain Jesus but gave him up for the salvation of our souls and the forgiveness of our sins. In our profession of faith during the renewal of our Baptismal promises we once again proclaim our belief in the one event that truly defines who we are: disciples of the Lord Jesus filled with hope in the resurrection and a yearning for everlasting life.
Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed!) I am convinced. I am convinced because someone I trust told me the story of Jesus’ life, passion, death, resurrection and ascension. I am convinced because I was told that Jesus will return again in his glory and raise my body up from the dead. And I know their testimony to be true.
Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed!) I am convinced. I am convinced because the stories of the events we commemorate here tonight have stood the test of time. Lies and deception would have been abandoned long ago. Truth prevails because people are willing to die for something they believe in. People will not give up their lives to aid a deception, but they will change everything about themselves to conform to the truth they defend.
Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed!) I am convinced. I am convinced because I have experienced it in my own life. From the life-changing moments at various times in my life like First Communion, Confirmation, and Ordination, to an image from 26 years ago of an old beggar at the corner of State and Main Streets in Columbus, OH, who prayed for those that dropped a coin or two and blessed those who walked by with their hands in their pockets, to the crevices carved by their love of God into the faces of my grandparents, to my own battle with cancer, to this glorious day and the Easter enthusiasm of Christians everywhere which cries out to a world prone to skepticism, disbelief and ridicule:
CHRIST IS RISEN!
HE IS RISEN INDEED!
There is a story told about a journey Mr. Bukharin took from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism. Addressing the crowd, he aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity hurling insult, argument, and proof against it.
An hour later he was finished. He looked out at what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of men's faith. "Are there any questions?" Bukharin demanded. Deafening silence filled the auditorium but then one man approached the platform and mounted the lectern standing near the communist leader. He surveyed the crowd first to the left then to the right. Finally he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the Russian Orthodox Church: "CHRIST IS RISEN!" En masse the crowd arose as one man rising and the response came as if it was one voice crashing like the sound of thunder: "HE IS RISEN INDEED!"
Last night something similar happened right here at Holy Rosary and at Catholic churches around the world. And in a few minutes another similar event will take place right in our midst. No one is going to malign Christianity. No one will preach atheism. Not here. Not on my watch. However, that’s not to say it’s not happening, and happening more often that we realize.
There are new voices that echo the “reasonable assault” and insults Mr. Bukharin hurled at Christianity. Some do it through art that blasphemes many tenets of our faith. Remember the incident a few years back of the portrait of the Virgin Mary that was smeared in cow dung? What about the many music videos our children watch, and I can think of those produced by one artist called Madonna that display Christian images in unflattering, immodest and even sexual ways?
There are with executive power who will kowtow to the threats of Islamic extremists and prohibit the creators of the South Park cartoon series (a vile work in and of itself) from portraying Mohammed but don’t think twice about allowing them to use a distorted image of Jesus and to denigrate Christianity and its believers on a regular basis.
The world’s best-selling novel of all time, The DaVinci Code, will make its theatrical debut next month, luring yet more disciples into accepting the myth it perpetuates that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene and that the Catholic Church has systematically concealed this “historical fact” that there are descendants of Jesus alive today for some 2,000 years.
The recently discussed “Gospel of Judas” turns the whole story of Jesus’ death and resurrection on its ear, depicting a conspiratorial relationship between Jesus and the hero Judas to the very end. It is a new way of thinking so many are rushing to concur with its “truth.” Unfortunately, the “Gospel of Judas” contains no real “good news,” something that is necessary to even be considered a “gospel.”
About ten days ago there was a report that Jesus never walked on water. That’s tight. He didn’t walk on water; he walked on ice. And there’s the study released in the last week claims that Jesus didn’t even die on the cross, but that his resurrection was a hoax perpetuated by the lies of his disciples. (I guess those that did the study never themselves read the Gospels where it is reported the Jews were making the exact same claim within hours of receiving the news that Jesus was raised from the dead and seen by his disciples and others.)
Those are just some of the 21st century detractors of Christians and their faith that Christ is risen. It is unfortunate that so many have listened to them and have believed what they heard. We human beings are so fickle, changing as the wind blows, chasing the latest fashions and theories and believing every “revelation” or spirituality that media moguls decide to promote or hanging on to every word of the latest, hippest, most charismatic preacher regardless of the homiletic substance, or lack thereof. So many have believed in these false teachers, the fanciful myths and false religions that a poll printed in last Saturday’s Commercial-Appeal says that less than one-third of all Christians – less that one third! – believe in the resurrection of the body, one of the principle points of our faith and the cornerstone of our hope.
Yet, last night we will witnessed men and women, boys and girls come forward and testify to their belief that Christ is Risen (He is risen indeed!) just as the powers of the world would have them deny it. Some entered into the very death of Christ in the waters of Baptism and rose with him to new life. Others were confirmed in the faith they already profess as they entered into full communion with the Catholic Church. It happened here at Holy Rosary and around the world.
And, it is not only they that stood to profess their belief that Christ is risen (He is risen indeed!). We, too, in just a few moments will once again be called to testify to our faith that the grave could not contain Jesus but gave him up for the salvation of our souls and the forgiveness of our sins. In our profession of faith during the renewal of our Baptismal promises we once again proclaim our belief in the one event that truly defines who we are: disciples of the Lord Jesus filled with hope in the resurrection and a yearning for everlasting life.
Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed!) I am convinced. I am convinced because someone I trust told me the story of Jesus’ life, passion, death, resurrection and ascension. I am convinced because I was told that Jesus will return again in his glory and raise my body up from the dead. And I know their testimony to be true.
Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed!) I am convinced. I am convinced because the stories of the events we commemorate here tonight have stood the test of time. Lies and deception would have been abandoned long ago. Truth prevails because people are willing to die for something they believe in. People will not give up their lives to aid a deception, but they will change everything about themselves to conform to the truth they defend.
Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed!) I am convinced. I am convinced because I have experienced it in my own life. From the life-changing moments at various times in my life like First Communion, Confirmation, and Ordination, to an image from 26 years ago of an old beggar at the corner of State and Main Streets in Columbus, OH, who prayed for those that dropped a coin or two and blessed those who walked by with their hands in their pockets, to the crevices carved by their love of God into the faces of my grandparents, to my own battle with cancer, to this glorious day and the Easter enthusiasm of Christians everywhere which cries out to a world prone to skepticism, disbelief and ridicule:
CHRIST IS RISEN!
HE IS RISEN INDEED!
