[Propertalk] Easter Day 2017 - part 2

Fri Apr 14 21:00:34 EDT 2017

Part 2, still unproofed!
Bob

	 What difference does today make? 

	 Sometimes there ARE people in our midst who look, who see all sorts
of regulations formulated on faulty human premises. Sometimes there
ATE people who have not only the insight to see how Jesus’ life, how
Jesus’ death, how Jesus’ resurrection change our attitudes.
We’re brought to examine all the regulations, all the laws, all the
rituals and customs that would try to control us, but which do not
have a solid moral grounding. Sometimes not only are there people with
such clarity of insight into the meaning of the death of Jesus and His
resurrection, insight about God’s law, but also some of these same
people have, like Franz Jägerstätter, the courage to hold on to
their convictions, being empowered by the way that God raised Jesus,
and promises to do the same for us. 

	 Jägerstätter looked at the way that Jesus faced down death and
overcame it. He wrote, “God’s love for us human beings is so great
that we can never comprehend it with our human understanding. Although
we often offend him and even seriously offend him, God still
persistently loves us. Otherwise, God would not time and again forgive
us. Could you imagine a greater love? … Therefore, love of our
neighbors is the greatest act of gratitude that we can show God for
his love.” 2 

	 In the midst of military tension in the 19302, Jägerstätter was
able to see how all the accepted political and social standards and
opinions had to be measured against the Power and Desire of God to
give us strength and courage. And not just political and social
matters, similarly in terms of health and disease, in terms of
economics, in terms of relationships and attitudes, the Power and
Desire of God to give us Life is exemplified perfectly in the
resurrection of Jesus for us. Whatever it is that would be a blight
and a danger to our lives and times, that has been dethroned. 

	 So often we’re tempted to think and talk about the death of Jesus
and not to concentrate on the resurrection of Jesus, the way in which
God recreates over and over again for us and in us. 

	 What is it that tries to restrict us, to frighten us, to take from
us the ability to use our God-given skills and gifts? Who is it who
injects artificial rules and tries to prevent us from living to the
fullest? Who, through human manipulation, tries to prevent us from
experiencing the joy of making a difference and turning lives around? 

	 Two thousand years before Franz Jägerstätter, Mary Magdalene,
despite her grief, her pain, her loss of a deep relationship; two
thousand years ago, Mary went to the tomb, showing the sort of courage
that Franz Jägerstätter did. She held on to her beliefs, no matter
how shaken she’d been, no matter who tried to convince her of her
foolishness in thinking that she was important, that she had a role to
play which was based on an authority and power far greater than others
seemed capable of imagining. 

	 A commentator wrote, “that among Lakota people it is that that
‘The people is never defeated until the hearts of women are on the
ground.’ The (heart of the woman) in this scene (is) clearly not on
the ground. That means that the Jewish followers of Jesus are not
defeated, despite Roman power and cruelty. Jesus is dead, and (Mary
still holds her heart) steady. (Her) strength is admirable.” 3 

	 Mary sees the emptiness and, in wonder, runs to tell the leaders of
the disciples. The three of them run back and only John begins to get
the picture, not of absence, but of presence. But it is only Mary who
actually sees Jesus after the other two had left. “… in the face
of the resurrection of Jesus who had been tortured to death,” she
saw how God turns everything around, to overcome our fear. 

	 What difference DOES this day make? It gives us the hope, it gives
us energy, it gives us the insight to examine all of creation in the
new Light of Easter. It gives us renewal. It speaks to those for whom
we prayed on Friday night: the hungry, the homeless, the destitute,
the oppressed, the sick, the wounded, the crippled, the lonely, the
fearful, the anguished, the tempted, the doubting, the despairing, the
sorrowful, the bereaved, prisoners, captives, those who have never
heard this Good News, the contemptuous, the scornful. 

	 This day makes a difference for everyone. No longer are there
isolating and debilitating boundaries and restrictions, for only
God’s Law matters. And God embraces us with power. So 

	_ Rise heart: thy Lord is risen. Sing his praise_
 _   Without delayes,_
 _ Who takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise_
 _   With him mayst rise:_
 _ That, as his death calcined thee to dust,_
 _  His life may make thee gold, and much more just. 4_ 

	NOTES: 

	[1] David Hansen for _“Lent Madness”_ at
http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/03/sarah-vs-franz-jagerstatter/ [1] 

	2 David Hansen for _“Lent Madness”_ at
http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/03/sarah-vs-franz-jagerstatter/ [2]
and
http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/04/for-the-golden-halo-franz-jagerstatter-vs-florence-nightingale/
[3]  

	3 Dr. Martin Brokenleg, quoted  in _“A Provocation: Easter Sunday:
April 16, 2017: Matthew 28:1-10’ April 12, 2017 [4]_ by Richard
W.Swanson [5]
https://provokingthegospel.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/a-provocation-easter-sunday-april-16-2017-matthew-281-10/comment-page-1/#comment-126
[6] 

	4 _“Easter”_ by George Herbert
https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2012/03/discovering-poetry-george-herbert-and-the-meaning-of-easter/
[7]  

Links:
------
[1] http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/03/sarah-vs-franz-jagerstatter/
[2] http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/03/sarah-vs-franz-jagerstatter/
[3]
http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/04/for-the-golden-halo-franz-jagerstatter-vs-florence-nightingale/
[4]
https://provokingthegospel.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/a-provocation-easter-sunday-april-16-2017-matthew-281-10/
[5] https://provokingthegospel.wordpress.com/author/richardwswanson/
[6]
https://provokingthegospel.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/a-provocation-easter-sunday-april-16-2017-matthew-281-10/comment-page-1/#comment-126
[7]
https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2012/03/discovering-poetry-george-herbert-and-the-meaning-of-easter/

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