There is a weak side to our interpretation and practice of our Christian faith. In Western Christianity (Catholic and Protestant) the emphasis has been so strongly on the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus. But the resurrection was almost an afterthought.
As good example of this would be the devotion to the Stations of the Cross. They finished with the burial of Jesus. Then what? There is an unbalance here.
Now, with serious study of the Jesus story in the New Testament we are very conscious that the resurrection of Jesus is the revelation that we need to be living today. As we lived through the terrible tragedy of the Last Supper and Good Friday, we must walk with the breakthrough of God in the resurrection of Jesus.
This is the revelation and the outpouring of the very Son of God to us. The great mystery of our salvation, in Jesus, is being given to us in our own time and place. Jesus rose from the dead on a very specific night, but now the mystery of the resurrection must happen in us. Jesus must be lived and revealed in each believer. The resurrection is a present, a daily event.
The mission of Jesus was to make present the great love and mercy of God toward humanity. Now, the resurrection of Jesus must happen in each one of us aa se try to bring respect to the life of each human being. This is so important as this time when so many people feel devalued because they are different from the majority of people who hold power in this culture. The resurrection of Jesus means living the life of the resurrected Jesus in our valuing of everyone, no matter how different they may be from the majority of people.
As Jesus came to bring healing to the lives of broken people, so now, the resurrected Jesus living and moving within us moves us to bring healing to others. At this point we go back to our roots. Very early on (actually about a hundred years after the death of Jesus) it became very clear that Christians do not have any distinctive dress, nor any food retractions. The only sign that will identify them will be the good deeds towards others.
Living the resurrection means living a life of care and concern, especially for those who are wounded or excluded. The opportunity to do good is right around each and everyone of us.
We have a long way to go but these fifty day of Easter provide many opportunities to explore how we can live out the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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