Easter Sunday: The Resurrection

Because of Easter I know that evil and sin do not have the last word. It doesn’t matter to me anymore if Jesus rose bodily or spiritually or somewhere in between. His followers experienced him as present and in that experience knew they had encountered God. Empowered, they would not let his murder silence his message. Here, I believe, is the fundamental answer to evil: God brings life from death. The infinite heals the finite. Evil and sin do not have the last word, and we participate in that divine evolution.

Easter Sunday Acts 10:34a, 37-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8 John 20:1-9 or Matthew 28:1-10 Full text of the readings

This does not diminish or deny the suffering caused by the death-dealing horrors around us, horrors in which we freely participate at times. I am simply suggesting that these result from finitude. Evil is a result of the finite in and around us. It says nothing about the infinite. That is the whole point of the resurrection. The infinite draws out life from death, goodness from evil, restoration from devastation. In that fundamental reality is our hope. This is not religious hyperbole. You have experienced it.

[This reflection is from Coming to Consciousness: Reflections for Lent 2011 by Angie O'Gorman and is based on the lectionary readings for each day of Lent. Coming to Consciousness is a publication of Pax Christi USA and is reprinted here by permission of the author and Pax Christi USA.

The full booklet has reflections for every day of Lent. You can order copies here: Coming to Consciousness: Reflections for Lent 2011. Bulk discounts are available.]

About the Author

Angie O’Gorman’s essays have been published in America magazine, National Catholic Reporter, and Commonweal. She has been involved in human rights work and nonviolent conflict resolution in the United States, Central America, and the West Bank. Her novel, The Book of Sins, was published last January.

About Pax Christi USA

In a world that settles differences by armed violence and defines “justice” as “revenge,” Pax Christi USA dares to break the cycle of violence by fostering reconciliation. Pax Christi USA is the national Catholic peace movement. Our membership includes more than 130 U.S. bishops, 800 parish sponsors, 650 religious communities, 75 high school and college campus groups, 300 local groups, and tens of thousands of individual members. The work of Pax Christi USA begins in personal life and extends to communities of reflection and action to transform structures of society. Pax Christi USA rejects war and every form of violence and domination.