He Is Risen, He Is Truly Risen!

Homily 03 31 2013
Easter Sunday C

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Today we are reminded of an earth-sharing truth: God is madly in love with human beings!!!

So much in love. How do we know this?? Because of the best witness there could be...it comes through the firstborn beloved Son of God. His name is Jesus.

*Sing:
I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced with the moon and the stars and the sun,
I danced from the heavens and I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem, I had my birth.

Straight from God's heart was sent the overshadowing Spirit (which had hovered over watery chaos to create all that is.)

Now hovering over a young girl named Mary...who said to the messenger who greeted her with strange and fearful news which must have shaken her inner world to the core, "Let it be done according to Your Word." "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth."

Now in the fullness of time...this firstborn, beloved son that Mary bore by the waters of womb and Spirit, was the Beloved Son of both Heaven and Earth!!!

Heaven resounds with joy and the heart of Mary resonates.

The Good News is that Jesus, God's love in the flesh, was sent from the heart of God to be in the flesh an eternal living reminder of God's passionate love for each one of us.

We too, Jesus taught, are beloved sons and daughters. We are heirs of the One whom Jesus called Abba (Father).

We too are invited to live as the Beloved.

*Sing:
Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!

While on earth, Jesus loved just as his Abba - Father loves and bid disciples to follow his sometimes world-shaking ways of love for people and for all of God's creation. To join his dance!

But that dance was stopped by those who did not receive him, and Jesus died a cruel death in human flesh. Yet, God's Word of grace and truth could not be killed permanently!!

Out of the tomb-womb, in earth-shaking witness, the Beloved was raised again to life.

*Sing:
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that will never, never die
I'll live in you if you'll live in me
I am the Lord of the dance, said he

Jesus Christ's Church (the Body of Christ) is empowered by the Spirit to invite humbly, but confidently...each beloved child to become, humbly and confidently, at one with the Risen Christ, the first born Beloved.

Through baptism and rebirth into the suffering and death of Jesus (into chaos and darkness of the tomb-womb), we too are restored to abundant life, reclaiming our original identity as the beloved of God.

This community of the Risen Christ on earth is called to live in Christ as Love's Word made flesh - and to join Christ's dance of compassion and celebration!!

*Sing:
Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!

A lifelong eternal process, this dance with Christ, His, and our dance with the lost and forsaken, all of us to be saved by grace, brings and Easter procession back to our original home - the garden and household of the eternal Lord of all creation.

And the Lord, we discover face to face, is madly in love with us!

Nothing can separate us from God's love! We are the Beloved!

How do we say thanks for such a gift? What gifts of gratitude can we bring as the Beloved?

*Sing:
Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!

The love of Christ is in you and me! To God be the glory, now and forever, for this matchless wonderful gift of new life!

Christ truly is Risen!

Alleluia!

jjl

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