Homily given by Bishop Anthony Randazzo
Bishop of Broken Bay
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral
Holy Saturday - 11 April 2020
The Gospel account of Jesus’ resurrection, as told by Matthew, must have been terrifying. We are told that all at once there was a violent earthquake, as an Angel descended from heaven to role away the stone. The guards were like dead men, so extreme was their fright. The women too were alarmed, but the Angel spoke saying that there was no need for them to be afraid. They were seeking Jesus, who was crucified. But he was not to be found among the dead, for he is risen.
What is clear is that after the resurrection, things were different. Lives were changed. There was no old “normal”. Life, as they knew it, would never be the same again. Not because of something terrible or destructive, but because through the death and resurrection of Jesus, humanity is restored to the fullness of life.
The sin of Adam and Eve, where they tried to replace God by positioning themselves in the centre of the garden, that first sin, is now forgiven. The dignity and beauty of the human person, male and female, created in the image and likeness of God, is now restored as the old Adam is made new in Christ Jesus Our Lord.
The good news of the resurrection of Jesus is the only news that is good for all people. To believe His Gospel of Life takes but a moment, because faith is a gift. Understanding the Gospel and putting it into practice, is something that can take a lifetime. The Gospel of Life is not merely some fixed dogmatic proposition; it is an incarnate and active profession of faith that animates our life, mission, and ministry.
Saint Paul gives us a glimpse of what the Gospel in action might look like in our lives and in the life of the community of the Church.
“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:12-14)
The fullness of faith and life begins now with the resurrection of Jesus, and yet our living the faith is still being realized. Ultimately, our Christian life is a time of waiting for the final coming of the Lord Jesus, when all the saints will live in the Kingdom of Heaven and God’s reign will be fully revealed.
Waiting does not mean idleness; Saint Paul is very clear about that when he reminds the community of the Church in Rome that they are dead to sin, but alive for God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:11)
We too are alive for God as we wait in anticipation. We wait in hope. We wait expectantly for life in all its fullness. Not merely life as we might envisage it, but as God has created it. Expectant waiting is living confidently with the prospect of new life. As a mother awaits the birth of her child. The child develops and grows in the darkness of the womb until at last it is fully formed, is born, and sees the light of day.
Our Christian life too is one of expectant waiting. From womb to birth, from stone to flesh, (Ezekiel 36:26) darkness to light, (1Peter 2:9) from the grave to eternal life in Christ. (Matthew 28:6)
In times of fear and uncertainty, let us turn to Christ. As we strive to be fearless preachers of the Good News, may our words and deeds reflect the risen life of Christ.
May the Lord Jesus, who rose from the dead, urge us on as one body, one spirit in Christ, we announce to the world “do not be afraid, He is risen from the dead.” Alleluia!