Why Easter matters

 

 

Shouldn’t Easter be “elevated” to a sacramental event rather than a miracle if modern man is to be a part of it? (John 20:1-9)The proclamation of a miracle excuses us from having anything further to do with it.  A miracle is God’s doing. We are on the sidelines. A sacrament, however, makes a demand upon us for its existence.  God performs miracles but men celebrate sacraments with him.  God may work a miracle apart from men.  Man, however, is essential to the presence of a sacrament. 

If Easter is to be a sacramental event, we must symbolize it for our fellow men, not only in the grace of God, but with our flesh and blood.  Easter is sacramental every time one of us makes his life a source of light for his fellow man.  Easter is sacramental when our words heal, when our hearts understand, when lesser values die in us for the sake of greater realities.

We are sacramental with Easter when men know us to be faithful.  We are sacramental with Easter when our fellow men see us suffer not for selfish advantage but for their redemption.  Easter is never more sacramental than when one man gives his life on behalf of another.

Christians seek to make Easter sacramental in their lives by their memory of Jesus.  If Jesus is remembered, he has not died altogether.  If the memory of Jesus inspires us to sacrificial love, Jesus is grace.  Jesus is an Easter-maker. God became incarnate as the word became flesh in us and was shared among us to not only teach us how to live our lives but to learn how to reside in Him through Jesus. And so when the celebrant proclaims "in him through him and with him," we are reminded of how we are participants in his birth, death and resurrection. If it was "just" another miracle it would not matter as much as it does. (Adapted from Dawn Without Darkness, Anthony Padovano, Paulist Press 1970)