March 28, 2008 Joyous and Solemn

Dear E-pistle subscriber,

There is a phrase in the Book of Common Prayer, referring to the birth of a child, which names birth as a “a joyous and solemn occasion.”

“A joyous and solemn occasion.”

That’s what I think when I reflect back on Easter Sunday. It was a joyous AND solemn occasion.

Easter Sunday was of course joyous – full of joy – not because of the joyful atmosphere in church: the upbeat hymns, the happy proclamations of “alleluia,” the gorgeous flowers, the cheerful congregation.

No, Easter Sunday was joyous because of what all those hymns, proclamations, decorations, and people were commemorating, what they were (and are) pointing to: the solemn occasion of God’s resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Here’s an example I’ve used before to make that point: if you are a Redskins fan, and I come up to you on Monday morning during football season and say, “hey, the Redskins won!”

Is that good news?

Think about it:

If you’re a Redskins fan, is the sentence, “Hey, the Redskins won!” good news?

Well, it is, if it is true.

Or to bring it home (painfully home for some of you) – if someone were to come up to a Patriots fan the day after the Super Bowl, and say, “Hey, the Patriots won!!” he would NOT be proclaiming good news.

He would be – at best – engaged in wishful thinking. He’s be thought of as either clueless, or cruel.

Why? Because his statement is not based in fact.

You see?--The statement, “We won!” is only good news if it refers to reality: an actual event that actually took place.

That’s why I say that Easter Sunday was joyous and solemn: NOT because of our proclamations or celebrations, but because our proclamations celebrate the reality of that first Easter, God’s raising Jesus from the dead: an actual event that actually took place.

That’s good news because, you see, we don’t have to “have faith,” “be in the right mood” or “feel” very much Easter joy in order for Easter Sundays to be joyous. . . or for that matter in order for our lives to be joyous.

Our Sunday morning worship experience – and our lives – can be joyous because our joy is rooted in something far less fickle, far less transient, far less subject to the ebb and flow of how we feel at any given moment, month, or stage in life.

Our Sunday morning worship – and our lives – can be joyous because of the solemn and eternal truth that God the Father created us and put us on earth for his purposes, God the Son died and was raised for us and calls us to complete his work in the world, God the Holy Spirit helps us carry out the work for which we were created, and called.

So – a joyous and solemn Easter season to you!

See you Sunday,

Fr. John