Here is something that may seem surprising about Easter: Not one of the four Gospels actually describes the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are no eyewitness accounts of Jesus rising from the dead. This has left the central belief of our faith vulnerable to all sorts of alternate explanations as to what happened to Jesus’ body after he was buried. Some of these alternate explanations appear in the Gospels themselves.  What we discover in the Gospels of Easter morning is a bunch of grieving people looking into an empty tomb, running back and forth, asking questions, handling evidence, trying to figure out what it all means. Then, in the midst of their panic, grief, and confusion, the risen Jesus starts to appear: first to Mary Magdalene, who brings the news to the apostles, then to two disciples leaving Jerusalem, then to the Apostles themselves, and then, according to St. Paul, to some five hundred people. What shook the disciples of Jesus out of their grief and confusion was a personal encounter with Jesus. “I have seen the Lord,” they began to say to one another. Jesus showed up for people who had not always showed up for him. He came to them to let them know that he still loved them. He blessed them with the gift of peace, and then sent them out on a mission to spread the good news that death had been overcome. We can only begin to imagine the difference that these encounters with the risen Lord made in their gatherings and in their daily lives. In time almost all of the original apostles were willing to give up their life rather than deny that they had met the risen Lord. It is probably fair to say that Jesus first rose from the dead and then brought his followers back to life. In the midst of their darkness and gloom and grief, he let his light shine.

That is why Easter has always been a profoundly personal experience. Has the risen Lord ever appeared to you? Maybe he was not wearing a long white robe that glows in the dark; but maybe you met Jesus through someone who changed your life in a big way. Maybe you met Jesus through your parents, whose sacrifices in raising a large family with such limited resources now seem supernatural. Maybe you met Christ when you had a flat tire on a dangerous mountain road, and somebody just happened to show up with the tools to make the job easier. Maybe you were desperate for money and someone you do not know very well called to tell you about a job opening. Maybe you went on a high school retreat out of obligation and came away with a personal relationship with Jesus. Maybe you have been nurturing your relationship with Christ for years through centering prayer or charitable work or social action.

Has the risen Lord appeared to you? This is not a rhetorical question to be forgotten on the way to brunch. It is an important question for our whole church right now. Studies have shown that most Catholics who leave the Church or stop attending Mass do not leave over questions of teaching or doctrine or scandal. Rather, people just gradually drift away from active participation in church. The five most common reasons people gave were: (1) I never experienced a profound personal encounter with Jesus; (2) There was no meaningful community life where I felt accepted, valued, visible, and included; (3) Poorly planned and executed liturgies; (4) Unmet desire for spiritual formation beyond theoretical and cold knowledge; (5) Lack of a missionary commitment to serve those on the margins. Perhaps if you are here today only because it is Easter or only because the rest of the family is going to Mass, then some of those reasons for not going to Mass more frequently will resonate with you.

It occurs to me that having a personal encounter with the risen Lord is the key to transforming the other negatives on that list. Liturgies do not become more vibrant just by hiring high-priced musicians and famous preachers; they come to life when we all find a personal reason to praise and worship God. Those who have had an encounter with the risen Lord will likely to be the ones who agitate for opportunities for spiritual growth and who suggest new ways for the church to minister to those outside its walls. Because the risen Jesus has already reached out to them, they are likely to be the ones who seek out the people who seem lost and overlooked in the community. People who have been gifted by a personal encounter with Jesus almost invariably feel obligated to share that gift with the world. So, if Jesus has not appeared to you yet, I suggest that you hang out more where Jesus often hangs out: at Mass, where we receive his Body and Blood; in Scripture, where we get to know God’s way’s better; in quiet reflection; and by serving the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned, where Jesus said we could always see his face.

On behalf of our parish staff and the Servite Community at Assumption, I wish you and your family a blessed and happy Easter.

                                                                              Fr. Joe