SURPRISED BY JOY
Easter words by Art @ Inavale Farm 2003
 
        I’m especially happy to see children and young people today. I was looking around at all my grandchildren and realized that they’ve never done Easter anyplace but here. They’ve never done a “real church” Easter like the kind we used to do in Gothic cathedral sanctuaries with great pipe organs and big choirs as many as three times a Sunday. They should try it sometime to see how good this is. I wouldn’t trade our experience here for any I have led anywhere in the past 50 years of doing Easter services.
        The Bible has a number of Easter stories. The writers were all trying to describe something that really could not be described or explained. Jean chose one of the “appearance” stories—the one where some of the disciples were out fishing when they were called to breakfast but a mysterious figure on the shore. It was Jesus, they reported. There are a number of such stories of a rather mystical nature. Each is trying to say that this Jesus, who died along with hundreds of others on torturous crosses along the road, and was buried in a tomb, somehow became present again to them. The unbelievable wonder is that this crucified Jesus is still known and revered these 2000 years later. People of all religions and no religion are measured against him. He represents the highest humanity and is one in whom we catch a glimpse of God on earth. 
        My text for today comes from the gospel of Matthew. I want to ask the children—When a storyteller begins by saying ‘Once upon a time…’ what kind of story is it going to be?
        You said, “A Fairy tale?” Well, that’s right, isn’t it? “Once upon a time…” tells you what kind of story is coming.
        Many Bible stories give us similar clues. For instance, if there is an earthquake, that’s a sign of an important story. You expect to be afraid. The same is true when there are angels. When there is both an earthquake and angel, you know that it is some kind of story. We don’t call it a fairy tale, but we know it’s not history. In the Bible we learn to look for a deeper meaning in the story.
        So Mary Magdalene and the other Mary are going to visit the tomb where Jesus was buried. They are hit by an earthquake that conveniently rolls the stone door of the tomb open. And an angel appears and speaks to them. The angel says, “Do not be afraid.” That seems kind of a dumb thing to say. What would you expect people to feel if not afraid? Burial places can be spooky enough without earthquakes and angels. The angel reported that Jesus was not in the tomb and that they should go tell his friends to look for him in Galilee. That’s scary. Then “they departed with fear and joy.”
        There are different ways of understanding such stories. One Archbishop declared his conviction that Jesus was bodily raised from the dead. His arguments take up most of the religion page in Saturday’s Gazette Times. It may be the most common Easter understanding.
        I got an e-mail from a retired Bishop friend just last night with another point of view. I had reported my plan to speak about Fear and Joy on Easter. He commented that speaking about fear and joy was “so much better than speaking about the empty tomb. I no longer believe Jesus was actually raised from the dead.” The Bishop had not lost faith in Jesus, but had a new and different view of Easter. Many Christians think like he thinks.
        Joseph Campbell said, “When immortality is misunderstood as being an everlasting body, it turns into a clown act.”
        Whatever your faith is, Easter is a celebration of joy. It begins with the fear that Jesus is gone. It ends with the joy that Jesus is forever present. They ran out with fear and joy. 
        That’s what I want to talk about today—how two such opposite emotions can exist in the same situation.
        If you have ever been a performer, as many of you have, you know how anxious and fearful you can be before you go on. We call that fear “stage fright.” Some of you are in track, jumping, running. Others have other sports. You all know the fear that you feel when you first step up to the plate. There is the fear of failure. Then, often times, your fear turns to joy when what you wanted to do, you did.
        The people in Iraq had the fear of being hit by one of our bombs, but after some days and weeks of that fear now have joy at the end of that fear.
        I’m not sure how it fits, but you may have read that the Pope has decreed that divorced or re-married Catholics may not receive communion at Easter. Many fear this spiritual separation from Christ. Someone needs to remember that Jesus is known for his acceptance and inclusion of people who are less than perfect—that includes everyone in this room. Any church that acts in his name should certainly do as he did. Or so it seems. The fear is rejection by Christ. The joy is his acceptance and inclusion.
        Some people fear the devil. 68% of all Americans believe in a devil. 78% of all Republicans and 83% of the religious right believe in the devil. I don’t believe in a personal devil, although I do believe in evil that gets into some people and makes them act like devils. My joy is in knowing that at least 20% of us are not afraid of the devil.
        You can see the connection between fear and joy. Easter is about the triumph of joy over fear.
        I want to get back to my Bishop friend. He wrote in his e-mail, “My Parkinson’s disease is progressing.” There is fear. It is a fearful disease. A number of my friends have it. Brian has it. 
        His e-mail continues, “But since it’s incurable…” —listen carefully or you’ll miss it—“and I’m optimistic about my future, I say ‘I am an incurable optimist!’ In spite of all else, ‘my cup runneth over.’”
        He has fear and he has joy. Joy trumps fear! That’s Easter.
        I’ll let his conclusion to me by my conclusion to you:
        “May your joys be as deep as the ocean, and your sorrows as light as foam.”
THERE’LL BE SUNSHINE IN THE MORNING
Joy shall live in every heart,
Joy shall live in every heart,
Joy shall live in every heart,
Joy in every heart one of these days.