April 04, 2010
Sermon
"Passover Laughter"
Easter Day, Year C Acts
10: 34-43
April 4, 2010 I Corinthians 15: 19-26
Passover Laughter John 20: 1-18
One Easter morning, my friend
Martha was rushing toward the small Methodist church where she
was the new vicar. Not a great time to remember they always
had a children's sermon on Easter. She had no idea what she
would say. Just then, she saw a rabbit on the lawn - a small
brown spring bunny. I'll say something about rabbits, she thought
and ran into the church. The time came for the children to come
up for the sermon. She began by saying, " Do you know what
I saw this morning with a big wet nose and two long pink ears?
"Jesus!" answered
a small an eager child. The vicar paused while there was laughter
all around. The child grew embarrassed and looked like she might
cry. Then the vicar said the only thing she could say, "If
you understand, and I think you do, yes, it was Jesus."
We are told that as late as
the 18th century in Germany that the pastors felt bound by an
ancient rule when preaching on Easter Day. Custom dictated that
the sermon should begin with a joke, known as the risus paschalis,
the Paschal joke. Now why on earth would they begin with a joke?
The custom evolved in order to teach the people that what was
to follow, the proclamation of the empty tomb and the resurrection
of Jesus was a joke that God plays on all that is dismal, broken,
and sinful - a joke once and for all on the forces of death.
Long before the day of resurrection,
the children of Israel, enslaved by the pharaoh, experienced
a night like no other. On this night, the angel of death came
into the land. Death passed the households whose doors were marked
with the blood of a perfect lamb. Moses made sure that the Hebrew
people had marked their doors. The angel of death passed over
each and every one, their children and their animals. They were
free from slavery and free from the power of death. This was
the first Passover.
Then, on a particular Sunday
morning before dawn, God did something even more extraordinary.
God performed a final Pass Over. The lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world offers his blood in a singular and final
offering. The great Paschal joke, was beginning as darkness covered
Jerusalem and the Son of God was suspended above the earth.
The candle of the Passover, the Pascha candle, illumines the
church at our baptism and at our burial when we pass over to
life everlasting.
This is God's Paschal joke - the joy and laughter of Passover
that we celebrate today. Our laughing, loving God defeats death
and in Christ we are scooped up into the arms of love and carried
over into life. In Christ, we pass over. Those who get it, laugh
out loud and those who do not, are left pondering.
The risen Christ is God's last laugh and best laugh. Do not look
for his body in the tomb. Do not look for evidence of nail scarred
bones or a resuscitated body or a body stolen and hidden away.
Do not look for Christ embalmed in creeds, images, dogmas and
rituals. Only allow these to point you to the Risen one who is
alive among the living.
The Risen Christ is here
among us this morning. The risen Christ is wherever people are
being freed from burdens, relieved from pain and having their
tears wiped away. The Risen Christ is where life is. The Risen
Christ is wherever God's friends pray the prayers of love, think
the thoughts of love and do the deeds of love.
If you ever wonder what it means to be a Christian, remember
this day and this moment. Because this is it! It is a wonder
and a mystery and a great delight. There is nothing we can do
to save ourselves and just as we are about to give up, we can
hear God's cosmic laughter over the Paschal joke. The angel
of death is forever passing over the people of God.
So laugh, laugh to yourself
and laugh out loud and laugh often - for on this day God laughs.
Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! And we
are risen with him! Alleluia! Alleluia!!
