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In the readings for this holy night, we have heard about God’s love for us. Beginning with the beginning of all things, God created Universe and all that is in it so show us His Love. With each new creation God declared them as “good”. The earth, the skies, the seas, the stars and all living creatures were created as a Testament of God’s love for us. Of all of God’s creation, only humans we are told were created in the image of God. We alone, were given that privilege. I wonder how often we live up to God’s image. Do our lives reflect God’s love? Can God say of us that we are good?
Jesus tells us that there is none good – only God, because after we were created, our ancestors sinned against the Lord and the world that was “Good” became a fallen world. Not because of God, but because of our own human choice to disobey our Creator. The One who loved us enough to place His image upon us, we chose to rebel against. Sadly, God’s love and goodness for us seems to not be enough for us.
In the story of God’s Deliverance of the Israelites from the Red Sea, once again the Love of God is shown. When it appeared that the Israelites were about to be overtaken by the Egyptian army, God in His mercy, caused a great wind to separate the waters of the Red Sea allowing the Israelites to walk across on dry land. The Israelites were spared and the Egyptians knew that it was the Lord who saved them. The scripture reads, “At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.’”
For the Egyptian army, the realization that God was in charge and protecting the Israelites came too late. The waters returned and the mighty army of Pharaoh was swept away. God defended the Israelites, because from their seed would come the Messiah who would bring redemption to all of humanity. Although some of us may find the violence in this reading to be unacceptable, this was an act of love on the part of God. It was God protecting the plan of salvation for all the world.
In the first reading from Ezekiel, we heard God’s promise to give a new heart and a new spirit to the Israelites. Even though God’s people, whom He had protected and blessed, turned to other gods, the Lord still loved them. He knew that their hearts had been hardened by their sins, so in His mercy, He forgave them. He offered them another chance to be His people.
Today, there may be some here who need another chance from the Lord. God is always there to forgive us. Too often we picture God as an angry Being who seeks to destroy as like He did Pharaoh’s army, but this is not what God wants to do. The Lord wants to give us another opportunity to come back to Him. All we have to do is to repent and God promises to give us a new heart and a new spirit.
Some of us may believe that we have become so spiritually dead inside that there is no hope. In the second reading tonight from Ezekiel, God has the prophet speak life to a valley full of dried bones. The people of Israel had sinned so greatly against the Lord that their very spirits had dried up. The were like a valley full of dry bones. On the outside there seemed to be no hope for them, but God knew better. With God, there is always hope, because God loves us.
The greatest sign of God’s love for us is seen in the gospel reading from Matthew tonight. When all appeared to be lost for Jesus’ believers, God showed us His love in a mighty way. God raised His Son Jesus from the dead as a sign that all who will believe in Him will have eternal life. The redemption of humanity was bought on the cross by Jesus’ death. Through Jesus’ resurrection we too are resurrected. We who were dead in our sins, through Christ are given new life!
Jesus is the greatest sign of God’s Love for us. After Jesus died, the disciples were hiding out. They were afraid that the same authorities who had killed their Rabbi Jesus would come after them and kill them also. Only the women were brave enough to go to the tomb. Because of their courage they were allowed to see the miracle of the Resurrection. Matthew writes, “And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.”
We are told that the Roman guards shook and became like dead men at the appearance of the Angel of God. Instead, the Angel of God proclaims the good news of the Resurrection to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. They are then instructed to go and tell the men, who are in hiding, to go and meet Jesus in Galilee. Perhaps we need to go and tell other believers to come out of hiding and walk the life of Resurrected People. Or are we like the disciples have gone into hiding out of fear of what may happen if we let others know that we too belong to Jesus?
When we hear the readings about the Resurrection do we truly understand the significance of God’s love for us? The Lord God made sent us His Only Begotten Son to bring us back to Him. God does not want us to be afraid, but to walk in the Light for all the World to see that we are Resurrected People. Jesus is alive!
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
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