The name Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin does not mean anything to us in modern day America, but at one time, he was one of the most powerful men in the country of Russia, and probably one of the most powerful men in the world. Having been one of the leaders of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, he was the editor of the Soviet newspaper PRAVDA for many years. He was also a member of the Politburo. His Marxist works in economics and political science are still studied to this day. There is a story told about a journey he took from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a large assembly of Communists on the subject of atheism. Addressing the crowd, he attacked Christianity with all his might, hurling insults, arguments, and proofs against it. An hour later he finished his lecture. He looked out at the vast audience, asking: ”Are there any questions?” Deafening silence filled the auditorium. Everyone seemed afraid to speak. After what a long period of silence, one humble man approached the platform and mounted the lectern standing near the communist leader. He surveyed the crowd first to the left then to the right. Finally, he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the Russian Orthodox Church: "CHRIST IS RISEN!” The entire crowd rose and shouted back in one voice: "HE IS RISEN INDEED!” Bukharin did not know how to respond, so he left the stage in silence. He had learned the lesson that faith in Christ’s resurrection was deeply rooted in the people of Russia and Ukraine. Easter, the feast of the resurrection, gives us the joyful message that we are a “resurrection people.” This means that we are not supposed to lie buried in the tomb. We are to live in the joy of the resurrection each day on our journey. With what is going on between Russia and Ukraine today, this is a very relevant story indeed.
This joyful Easter morning, we profess the mystery of our faith: CHRIST IS RISEN! CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED! We profess in our faith that Christ was dead and was buried. That we believe without any doubt. Yet, we also believe that death is not the final answer, that our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead and will come again in glory.
Today we hear the Good News that no tomb can hold us down: neither the tomb of despair, discouragement, doubt nor death. Instead, we embrace the Good News message of joy and peace, placing our hope in the resurrected Lord in all the events and all the reality of our daily lives. Indeed, this is the day the Lord has made; we are called to rejoice and to be glad. The living presence of the resurrected Lord gives us lasting peace and celestial joy amid the frustrations, disillusionment, suffering, pain, and tensions of our day-to-day life.
This risen Christ is present to us in the ordinary moments in our daily lives of faith, in his Church, in the Eucharist that we receive, and in eternal life that awaits us in heaven. In all these ways, the resurrected Christ is to give us meaning and fulfillment. Our trust in the all-pervading presence of the Risen Lord gives us strength to fight against temptations, it gives us freedom from our worries and fears. The prayer of St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, assures us: “Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ within me, never to part.”
The joy of Easter Sunday reminds us that although we may experience the death of Good Friday in our lives, we will also experience the joy of Easter Sunday, insofar as Jesus will let us share the power and glory of his resurrection. Each time we display our love of others, we share in the Resurrection. Each time we face a betrayal of trust and, with God’s grace, forgive the betrayer, we share in the resurrection. Each time we fail in our attempts to ward off temptations, but keep on trying to overcome them, we share in the resurrection. Each time we continue to hope, even when our hope seems unanswered, we share in the power of Jesus’ resurrection. In other words, the message of Easter is that nothing can destroy us: not pain, not sin, not rejection, not betrayal, not death. Christ has conquered all these. We, too, can conquer them if we put our Faith and trust in Him.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Blessings and joy to you this Easter morning.
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