Archbishop of Sydney

Easter Sunday

St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney – 16th April, 2005

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
16/4/2006

“The man next to me speaks from time to time
He is thirsty
He cries out to his father in heaven
He asks mercy for those around him
Last night in the cells there were some who
said he might be a king
I find myself urged to speak to him
I say “Remember me when you come
into your kingdom”
In a clear voice he answers “You shall
be there before the sun goes down”
I am struck silent by this promise
His words take away my last fear
Before night falls I shall be far away from
this evil hill with its demons
I begin to feel like a bird about to be
released into a sky without ending

My strength is slowly leaving me………

It is 3 o’clock and the sun has left the sky
Darkness is everywhere

Then suddenly I realise I am no longer nailed
to a dead tree
I have only to stretch out my hands
and they will be taken.”      (Neville Braybrook)

I regularly tell primary school children and especially the grade six candidates for confirmation that these are the most consoling, among the most beautiful lines in the New Testament.  I don’t know how many of the youngsters will remember the claim.  Many would be too innocent, some too irreligious, to know what I am talking about, but every adult can understand what I am saying.

The incident comes from chapter 17 in Luke’s gospel, which recounts the different attitudes of the two thieves crucified with Jesus.  One remained embittered, hardened in sin until his end and abusing Our Lord.  Dysmus the good thief rebuked the abuser saying that they, unlike Jesus, deserved their punishment, because Jesus had done no wrong.  Then he asked to be remembered in Christ’s kingdom.

By his own admission the man was a serious criminal, probably violent and yet he was the first fruit of the redemption, among the very first into paradise.

The resurrection was the great sign that God does forgive our sins, that evil and death will not have the last word.  Through the resurrection the cross was transformed into a throne of mercy and the first beneficiary was someone who had been a hardened evildoer before he turned.  This should give great confidence to everyone of us aware of our weakness.

The resurrection was subversive and explosive event, which Jesus’ followers did not expect anymore than his enemies.  Through his death and resurrection Our Lord became the redemptive Lamb in the heavenly sanctuary.  As an older translation of the Apocalypse expresses it graphically “Worthy art thou to take the scroll and to open its seal, for thou wast slain and by thy blood dids’t ransom man for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation”.

The Christian claims about the Resurrection are not understated.  The tomb was empty, Jesus appeared to many of his followers, embodied, eating, inviting Thomas to place his hand in his wounds.  This is why the early Christians persevered through almost 300 years of intermittent persecutions, why we talk today of death and evil being conquered in a world where evil and suffering are in some places only too apparent.

Another poet spelt out the challenge for us.

“Let us not mock God with metaphor,
analogy, sidestepping, transcendence;
making of the event a parable, a sign painted
in the faded credulity of earlier ages;
Let us walk through the door.”    (John Updike)

Tonight the Cathedral parish is blessed because 18 have asked to be baptised and confirmed, have come through the door from outside and 16 Christians from other denominations have come into full communion.  There are many hundreds more walking through the door in parishes across the Archdiocese.  We welcome them home with open arms and hearts, we wish them God speed and many happy grace-filled years among us.  I believe that it is a sign of the vitality of our Cathedral parish and I thank all those who welcomed and prepared them.

God has always been with His people throughout history, even before He sent His only Son to redeem us.  Let us pray that we will not continue like the disciples in the early part of their journey with Our Lord to Emmaus i.e. followers who know most of the facts, but cannot make the necessary connections to grasp the full picture.  May we understand more deeply the mysteries we are celebrating and be renewed by this feast of the resurrection in mind and body so that we give whole-hearted service in genuine faith, hope and love.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.