A number of years ago I picked up a bright hand-painted
crucifix from Central America with a colorful Jesus painted on it, hands
upraised. As I was packing up some Christmas gifts to send to my non-believing
brother that year, on a whim, I tossed the cross into the box. A few weeks
later my brother called to thank me for the gifts. He also noted, “Thanks for
the picture of the dead guy.” The crucifix was foolishness to him so he was
yanking my chain.
How many people look to the crucifixion and wonder what on
earth Christians think they are doing to worship a “dead guy?” Because, of
course, the story of Easter is that Jesus has risen from the dead. The
story doesn’t end at the cross. The resurrection tells us we worship a living
God, and not just any living God, but one that is stronger than death. A God
who invites us to join into this resurrection life.
“For the message about the cross is
foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the
power of God.” [1 Cor 18]
The piece we often miss, however, is that we have to go
through the cross to get to resurrection. We need to die in order to live. We
have to be willing to let go of safety and “that’s the way it’s always been”
and boundaries that hold us back. We have to die to our old selves, our old
life, in order to live in new ways.
On this 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the
Titanic (April 15, 1912), my husband and I took my 14 year old to see the newly
released 3D version of the movie. There is a lot one can say about this
powerful film, but I want to focus on the choices made by one of the main
characters, Rose. The voyage was a transformative experience for her in some
profound ways, to the point that at the end of the movie she chooses to leave
the promise of wealth, prestige, a husband, and more. She lets all that die, in
order to embrace the life that she was created to live. In fact, the only way
she can really live, and not suffocate under the expectations of someone of her
gender and class, is to let her safety nets go. Her relationship with Jack and
then the sinking of the Titanic gives her both the strength and the opportunity
to do this. She is resurrected into a new life.
Choosing death can seem a foolish thing, but not if that is
the only way for transformation to happen. Jesus knew this, so chose the path
of non-violence and death in the face of violence and empire. He would not
collude with evil. Then with his resurrection on Easter morning Jesus
transformed both himself and all creation. If he, a mortal, could overcome
death, so too now can we all. And this new life doesn’t have to wait until our
physical death, our new life begins when we choose to follow Jesus and live
life as he modeled for us, and when we accept that we are loved unconditionally
by a glorious God.
Stephanie+
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