The oldest written record that we have about the first Christians is a document written around the year 80. It is traditionally known as “Acts of the Apostles.” According to this
source the early Christians always spoke the same way: “You – the powerful – killed Him, but God brought him back to life.”
And this was the first outline for an Easter Sermon. The leaders of the time wanted to do away with Jesus and shut his voice. They didn’t want to hear any longer that “the last will be first, before God.” And so, they brought a violent end to His preaching. With Christ dead, they thought, everything will return to “normal,” But God, brought Him back to life.
That’s today’s great news: God was on the side of the “Crucified”, and the
leaders of the time were proved wrong. The one condemned by the crowds and the authorities has been saved. The one disgraced has been glorified. The one that was crucified and killed is more alive than ever. What Jesus had preached so many times is now confirmed: God is on the side of the persecuted.
Whenever anyone suffers, God suffers. There is no cry that goes unheard and no
prayer that remains unanswered. The “street children” of Bucharest or Sao Paolo have a father to look after them. The women abused by their own spouses will have an
Advocate to appeal their case. The youth that take their own lives all over Europe will find a God who will listen to them. God wants only life, and this life eternal, for everyone.
This same God, who has risen from death, is present in our own tears and tragedies, as a mysterious consolation and comfort. He is present, too, making up for our solitude and sadness with His silent presence. Even in our sins, He supports us with His mercy and infinite patience. He will be with us, even at the time of our death, leading us to the ultimate Life.
Today is a feast for those who find themselves lost and lonely. It is a feast day for the sick, the incurable and the dying. It is also a special day for those who feel dead inside and without strength to return to life. A special day, too, for those who suffer in silence, brought down by the heavy burdens of their own lives and the mediocrity of their spirit. It is, finally, the feast of all of us, the living, because God will be our ultimate resurrection.