Alleluia, Christ is Risen

In a parish far away, the alleluia verse was spoken.  There was nothing more depressing than 70 persons speaking "alleluia" in a monotone, as you are carrying the Gospel book.  This is a feast of singing and chanting of the most awesome and wonderful gift imaginable.  The Passion, Death, and Resurrection, of Jesus Christ brings us salvation and peace.  This feast allows for us to rise above Sin and Evil and live as children of the light.

The new life we receive in the risen Christ cannot be a reprise of old thought patterns, bad habits, sinful behaviour, or worldly desires.  The disciples in Mark's Gospel often misunderstood what it meant to die to oneself, so as to rise again.  Jesus becomes the sign and symbol of dying and rising and allows us to fully engage in conversion and discipleship.

St. Paul speaks about removing the old leaven in order to possess the new leaven of faith.  Paul will state in several of his letters that persons baptized into this sacred mystery live that mystery by their holy lives.  Through Jesus Christ forgiveness and reconciliations are possible.  More so, we are to be faithful stewards of the grace and the blessings that we have received through this sacred action.  Despite the threats of pain and the anxiety caused by fear, we can and should speak what is true and right, and learn to do good.  Resurrection faith does not allow for wallflowers in life, but faithful and active participants in the walk of life.

It is nice to baptize the adults.  They are more than a little surprised as I pour pitchers of water over them.  But faith does that too.  When we make choices and decisions based on our faith, and allow our faith to carry us along, then we will be surprised at the outcomes in our life.  Reconciliation, peace, and joy, are some of the virtues that will arise when we imitate the mystery of faith we celebrate.

I think about some of the great men and women throughout the ages like Thomas Beckett, or Francis of Assisi, whose radical and faithful decisions gave witness to the Gospel values Jesus spoke of.  For those that have the formal 'St' before their names, and those without, they had made the decision to live counter-cultural lives founded upon the power and grace of the resurrection.  St. John tells us early on in his Gospel, "God so loved the world ..."  Wonderful things happen in the midst of selfless love.