Easter

one

Holy Saturday is a day of profound sadness. Jesus, the one in whom they had placed all their hope for a new existence is dead and buried. The Apostles, well, who knows where they are, scattered by fear and probably locked in the Upper Room. Mary Magdalene weeps in front of the Tomb of Jesus, separated by a large stone that is as unmovable as death itself. And the two disciples making their way to Emmaus, how does the Bible describe them: “And they stood still, looking sad.” Sad, lonely and without hope. That is how the world stood before it knew about the Resurrection. That is how most of the world stands today, sad, lonely and without hope. That is why it is so afraid, that is why the whole world shut down over a virus – because the world thinks that all there is, is what you can see, and when a person dies, that’s it, it is over. The whole world is experiencing Holy Saturday – a day without hope.

two

With the Resurrection of Jesus – everything is changed. And I mean everything! The Resurrection of Jesus was not a resuscitation, not a return to normal human life. With the Resurrection of Jesus an entirely new form of human existence begins. That is why the Resurrection of Jesus begins an entirely New Creation. It is why He is the New Adam. The Resurrected body of Jesus is no longer subject to the laws of nature, no longer subject to space and time. He can walk through locked doors, he can appear one way and then another, be here and suddenly he can be somewhere else. With the Resurrection the human nature of Jesus shares in the divine life in an entirely new way – it shares in divine indestructible, immortal life. Death is no longer part of his existence. Therefore, Pope Benedict says that the Resurrection of Jesus was akin to an evolutionary leap to a Divine Indestructible way of Life (Jesus of Nazareth p. 244 and 274.) With the Resurrection of Jesus, a new possibility of human existence is attained, and it opens up and entirely new kind of future for us – the Resurrection of the body, a new heavens and new earth, and life everlasting where everything good will endure!

three

We share in the Resurrection of Jesus, through the Eucharist. Jesus said, I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the bread in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh. (John 6:48-51)

With His Resurrection Jesus creates an entirely new way of being for humanity. We are invited to share in the divine life of God which means we can, if we want, live forever, with our human bodies that have been made like the body of Jesus; no longer able to suffer or get sick or die, not bound by the laws of nature but the laws of nature subject to us. Through the Resurrection of Jesus we can have, if we want, a share in divine indestructible, immortal physical life.

They way that Jesus gives us to share in this is by receiving His Resurrected Body in the Eucharist. The Eucharist brings about this evolutionary leap to indestructible life in us.

four

Not only will our bodies be resurrected and glorified, Scripture tells us that the whole visible universe is destined to be transformed.  Heaven will be a “New Heavens and a New Earth”

2 Peter 3:10 tells us What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and new earth, the place where righteousness will be at home.

The New Heavens and New Earth” means that everything good about this world will be present in Heaven. I like that we say of those in Heaven “Rest in peace”, and I look forward to everlasting peace – but not an everlasting nap…I want to do stuff. Well, we will do stuff, let me tell you! Heaven will be

·       Dynamic rather than static

·       Exploring rather than staring at God

·       Endless beginnings rather than merely the end

·       Because the whole world will be renewed and transformed

God gave me a glimpse of Heaven in Alaska

·       Turn-Again Inlet

·       Girdwood – Alyeska resort

·       Mountains and the Ocean meet at one place

·       Light 24hrs a day

·       Sunday morning hike and meditation

·       Lord, why do I live in Kansas?

·       Michael this nothing in comparison to heaven

·       For the whole world is going to be renewed

·       There you may go from peak to peak to peak

·       Each time it only gets better

And heaven will be perfect friendship forever. Imagine how wonderful it will be to live with all the saints, all our loved ones, all our friends, without any of our imperfections or annoying flaws – to live together forever in perfect joy in which all sadness and loneliness are banished forever.

Most of the world is sad, lonely and without hope because they do not believe in Jesus or the Resurrection. But we do – we have hope, we know heaven awaits us. Therefore, we should live lives of friendship and joy and invite other people into our friendships so they too can experience joy and begin to Hope for heaven! That is our mission – to live friendship and joy and invite others in.

five

Third Day of the Novena to Divine Mercy

Jesus said to St. Faustina: Today bring to Me all devout and faithful souls, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy.  These souls brought Me consolation on the Way of the Cross.  They were that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness.  

Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy You impart Your graces in great abundance to each and all.  Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from it.  We beg this of You by that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.

The miracles of mercy are impenetrable. Neither the sinner nor just one will fathom them. When You cast upon us an eye of pity, You draw us all closer to Your love.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of your Son.  For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection.  Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify your boundless mercy for endless ages.  Amen.