Life beats death

Sermon-Year A-Easter-March 23, 2008
The Cloud of Unknowing, "O God, our great companion, lead us ever more deeply into the mystery of your life and ours, that we may be faithful interpreters of that Life to each other, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."
Three priests are talking about funerals. And they are wondering what people will say at their wakes, as they walk by the open casket. The first priest says, “I'd like someone to say, 'He was righteous, honest, and generous.'” The second priest says, “I'd like someone to say, 'He was kind and fair, and good to his parishioners.'” The third priest says, “I'd like someone to say, 'Look, he's moving.'”
As my buddy Mark says, life beats death. Every time. Easter is about life. It’s about new life. It’s about transforming life. William Saroyan, the famous novelist called the Associated Press 5 days before he died and left this message, “Everybody has got to die, but I always believed that an exception would be made in my case. Now what?”
Now what? There aren’t any exceptions. Even Jesus had to die. We all die. Easter doesn’t mean people don’t die. It means a lot more than that. One of the things we all know-even though we don’t act like it-we will die. But Easter is about what happens after death. Bruce K. Modahl, a well known Lutheran pastor tells this story:
Margaret a woman in her late 30swho had a family-a husband and three children was diagnosed with cancer. She had surgery, radiation, chemo all of which depleted her. She was in and out of the hospital. Then she rebounded, the cancer was in retreat, and the prognosis was good. Then the cancer came back, metastasized , and within a year she had died. Pastor Modahl was asked to do the funeral along with his mentor, Hutch. As they were preparing for the funeral, Bruce said to Hutch, well, she put up a valiant fight.” “Yes, she did” agreed Hutch. “But the cancer won.” Bruce said. “What do you mean, ‘the cancer won?’” Hutch asked He sounded indignant. It seemed obvious to Bruce. “She died. The cancer killed her. The cancer won.” Hutch turned to Bruce and said, “Where is the cancer now?” Now it was Bruce’s turn to sound indignant, “What do you mean, ‘where is it now?’” Bruce asked.”
“If the cancer won, if the cancer was victorious, where is it now. That’s all I want to know” Hutch answered. Bruce looked around , completely befuddled. “Well, the cancer is in the coffin with her now.”
“So in killing Margaret, the cancer killed itself, too, right? Hutch asked.
“Yes,” Bruce replied.
“Where do you think Margaret is now-you who are supposed to be a Christian?” Hutch persisted.
“She’s with God,” Bruce said sheepishly. “Dead or alive.” Hutch kept asking.
“Alive,” Bruce responded. “So who won,” Hutch wanted to know.
“Margaret did,” Bruce finally replied.
She won, because Christ won, That is what we believe-and that is what you preach at her funeral,” Hutch said, “I am resurrection and I am the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? Hutch asked a final time.
“Yes, I do,” Bruce said.
Jesus rose and showed that biology, violence, accidents, death, age, sickness, evil, none of the things that seem to win-ever really do. God is more powerful than death. And that is why we celebrate. That is why we’re here. Someone shows us the way to life.
We watched a movie a few weeks ago, called Feast of Love. It basically focuses on three people and the loss of love in their lives. It’s very sad. (I’m going to give away the ending now) Towards the end, a young man. who is ferociously in love with his young pregnant wife dies. Two of the other characters are talking about how terribly sad it is, and the old man, Harry says, “God is dead. Or he really despises us, because there is more heartbreak in life than we can ever imagine.” And the other character says, “No, his wife knew he was going to die-and still she decided to marry him-still she decided to get pregnant. She knew what was going to happen and she decided not run away.” Harry looked at him and said, “she knew he was going to die?” he asked incredulously. “Yes, Harry. God doesn’t hate us. If he did, he wouldn’t have made out hearts so brave.”
It’s the Sunday of the Resurrection. We need to be reminded, we need to hear, that we are made with brave hearts, brave brave hearts. We need to hear that death doesn’t win. We need to hear that Christ is risen, and he’s taking all of us with him. We need to hear that. There are days when we are tempted to believe that death wins. It doesn’t.
A pastor I know says this, there are 40 days in lent, 40 days to give up things, strive harder to be better, stronger, more disciplined. But, he says, there are 50 days in the season of Easter. 7 weeks. And he plans to spend some time every day in Easter being more thankful, more joyful, more loving, more faithful, more alive. One of these. He says, lent is about conquering his humanity. Easter is about savoring the divine.
It’s the Sunday of the Resurrection. life beats death. Every time. Easter is about life. It’s 50 days of realizing that we were made with brave hearts. 50 days of not being afraid. 50 days of knowing what real victory is. Alleluia, Christ is risen.