Archbishop of Sydney

Easter Sunday

St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
23/3/2008

It is always something of a relief to move past Good Friday, dominated as it is by Jesus' suffering and death with only a few friends present, his victorious enemies away behind the scenes and the mass of the people ignorant of developments.

His followers must have been crushed not only by the injustice of Jesus' death, but also by the destruction of their hopes, however they were defined religiously, nationally, politically. A cynic certainly would have acknowledged Our Lord’s claim to Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world! At this moment of darkness and failure that much was completely clear.

On Good Friday I pointed out that the Lord’s death was not the end of the story. We all know that now. But a priest friend pointed out to me recently that if the Son of God wanted to speak to us in our most difficult moments and if divinity wanted to share truly in our human state, He could only do this if He too had been through bad times, very bad times. So Jesus speaks to us when we are in big trouble, not with the arrogance and hardness of a warrior or conqueror, but with the authority of a fellow sufferer. More over, good people are moved to sympathy by another’s suffering.

The Good Friday mood changes decisively at the Vigil service on the night of Holy Saturday, where the Easter fire should inflame us with new hope and purify our minds so that eventually we can be immersed in eternal light.

We pray that the light of Christ, rising in glory, will dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.

Originally individual deacons would compose their own prayer proclaiming Christ's Easter victory, but by the ninth century the Latin version of the Exsultet, a masterpiece, which we used (and which dates from the seventh century) was universal in the Western Church.

Before printing existed the proclaimers used large Exsultet rolls, with illuminated pictures illustrating the text in the reverse way, so that the pictures would be the right way up to the congregation as the singing or recitation proceeded.

The Christian claims are spelt out fully and without apology:

"The power of this holy night dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy".

Heaven is wedded to earth and man is reconciled with God.

Scenes from the Old Testament which foreshadowed our redemption are included in the seven readings of the Vigil; Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac, Israel’s escape from Egypt through the parting of the seas, Ezekiel’s description of Israel’s triumphant return after they were scattered because of their sins, and finally the gospel accounts of the discovery of the empty tomb by the women and then by Peter and John.

Christians don't believe that Christ is the Easter Redeemer for Christians only, so that all others after death are either condemned to hell or non-existence.

Catholics do not believe that Easter only brings salvation to Catholics or more widely to Christians. The Risen Christ has brought about the possibility of eternal life for all good people, including those who do not know or accept Christianity and there are many rooms in the Father’s house after death. Accidents of birth or circumstances will not be decisive with our good God.

The Christian Easter is a promise of life after death and a reminder of the four last things; death and judgement, heaven and hell.

After all these events, when Peter was explaining to Cornelius and his household the significance of the Passion and Resurrection, he explained that God had appointed the risen Jesus as judge of everyone; they were witnesses personally to all this because the risen Lord had eaten and drunk with them. Not only will Jesus be the final judge but He has power to forgive sins in his name and the Father’s name.

But the Spirit of goodness released by Christ is also active in the here and now all over the world. All followers of Christ should be channels for this Spirit, agents for spreading this goodness.

To believe in the Christian understanding of Easter requires a lot of faith, more than is necessary to believe that a good God cares for us. But it is a feast offering hope beyond our hopes.

I often retell for adults the story of the good thief, because Christian children (in Australia at least) take the incident for granted. Adults don't.

Christ was crucified between two thieves, bandits guilty of serious crimes. Luke tells us one of them mocked Jesus, taunting him to save himself and them. The good thief rebuked the first, saying that Jesus had done nothing wrong, unlike them who deserved their sentences. Then he turned to Jesus and asked "remember me when you come into your kingdom". A simple request.

Jesus replied to this criminal, this man of violence; "Today you will be with me in paradise".

I think they are the most beautiful lines in the Bible. They capture the Easter message.

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