Sunday, March 27, 2016

Easter Sunday Homily 2016

Happy Easter to everyone!

I would like to share a story which I heard when I was a seminarian. The name of the story is world is in darkness. This is the story: A world famous archaeologist excavated the tomb of Jesus and after the excavation, he called a press conference  and lied to the press that he found born and skull of Jesus. And he argued that there is no base for Jesus' resurrection. He said resurrection is myth and delusion of disciples. After hearing this, people stopped going to church, churches became party place. Justice and peace disappeared from the world. Gradually people started hating each other, killing each other and even moral values disappeared. Life became terrible and meaningless. At the end of his life he realized his huge lie made the earth hell. He understood his mistake. He again called a press conference and said to the world, it is true that I excavated the tomb of Jesus but I did not find any thing in the tomb of Jesus. The tomb of Jesus was empty. He said with faith, resurrection is not a myth but a reality, and it is not delusion of disciples, it is truth. 
Dear brothers and sisters, our faith is based on the resurrection of Jesus, our hope is based on the resurrection of Jesus.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians, "if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith"(1cori. 5:1-14 )
Yes, if Jesus wasn't resurrected  we wouldn't have gathered here as a community. If Jesus wasn't resurrected many people wouldn't have given their lives to service and for the love of others. If he was not resurrected our life would have been different. This feast is the foundation of our faith and life.

We heard from the gospel today, two men in dazzling clothes said to the women: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; but has risen”. These words gave hope and happiness to those women who went to the tomb of Jesus. After 2000 years the same words give us hope and happiness. 
My mum died at the age of 11 and the only solace as a family we had is our believe in resurrection. We started our ordinary life trusting in Jesus’ promise that he has gone to prepare a home for us and where my brother and myself will meet our mum. Without Jesus our lives would have been hopeless. This is not only my story, it's a story of many of us. When some one lost from our lives what gave us strength to get back to ordinary lives? It is none other than Jesus' resurrection and his promises. His resurrection reminds us that there is life beyond the grave. His resurrection gives us hope. His resurrection gives us mission.

Today we have seen the light of resurrection, our bonds of sins are broken by the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. We are saved by his precious blood.  No more let us be prisoners of fear or sins. Let us not stay imprisoned within ourselves, but let us break open our sealed tombs to the Lord so that he may enter and grant us life. He is our greatest joy; he is always at our side and will never let us down.

We lit a candle yesterday night, it is a symbol of sacrifice. The candle shines inasmuch as it is burnt up. Like the lighted candle let us be light for others! And this candle will once disappear after shedding light for us. Like the candle let us offer ourselves for others ! 

From today if we have really experienced resurrection we can't but be the missionaries of the resurrection. We have seen the light. The mission of the resurrection is to find Jesus in everyone. The Lord is alive and wants to be sought among the living not among the dead. 
Remember after resurrection Jesus appeared to disciples- as gardner, as a stranger, as a co traveler. Watch for Jesus. He will walk to you as a homeless, stranger, refugee and sick. 
Pope Francis said in his homily, "as joyful servants of hope, we must announce the Risen One by our lives and by our love; otherwise we will be only an international organization full of followers and good rules, yet incapable of offering the hope for which the world longs".

I would like to share another story: a group of villagers hated each other. Once an old wise man stayed with the villagers for couple of days. People were very hospitable to him. And when he left the village, he said to the villagers that one of you is Jesus! And from the next day villagers stopped fighting and started looking for Jesus in each other. This village became most happy place. Yes, let us watch for jests in each other. 

As a missionaries of resurrection, as people who have experienced resurrection, Let us open our hearts to hope and go forth.  May the memory of his works and his words be the bright star which directs our steps in the ways of faith towards the Easter that will have no end. If you are saddened any recent things in life, let Jesus resurrection give you hope. Let us find Jesus among the live.

Fr. John Pozhathuparambil