"The Victorious Life" is a theme permeating the
Easter Season! For two thousand years Christians have been convinced that in a
unique historical event the Creator transformed the executed Jesus into the
Risen Lord and Christ. The slaughtered Lamb was exalted; Jesus' life and
ministry were dramatically authenticated by God's holy power. The Good Friday
tragedy was miraculously recast as a Victory with impacting on countless men
and women. The persecutor Saul had his eyes opened, was baptized, and regained
his strength for new purposes; disciples became fishermen, enthusiastic
evangelists proclaiming the Resurrection of crucified Innocent Love. This is
such Good News for humanity: even death itself is conquered by the power of
God. Jesus Christ is the Lord of life, and we are to live LIFE abundantly and
triumphantly!
"Life" - a familiar word, but what is life? What
is the "vital force" distinguishing the living from the non-living? One science
reporter has written, "Life is nothing more, nothing less than the structural
arrangement of certain molecules which behave chemically in a certain way when
water is added to them." I feel strangely humbled! Are you and I reducible to
the recipe: "arrange molecules, add water, and stir?" Is this how God managed
the Resurrection? The precise nature of "life" remains a mystery; no one seems
to know the exact ingredients or conditions for life, but as interesting as
this issue is, the available explanations are insufficient to excite us outside
a laboratory. Instead, we are concerned with the significance of life, its
abundance and triumph.
There are persons for whom the mixture of
molecules-plus-water, at least in creatures, is revered. Members of the Jain
religion of India walk with a broom, sweeping as they go, cleaning before they
sit down - so that they do not injure - indeed murder - bugs of any sort; for
them, the mere presence of life in any creature is treasured. However, Jains
draw the line with vegetable life, which they eat without remorse. Some others,
including many Christians, appear to venerate any degree of life in all human
conditions; for these "vitalists," any bit of life from conception to total
bodily death is sacred and must be sustained. But, what is the significance to
each and every instance of life, however dim? Where in this vision is the
abundance, the victory? Is this God's Will?
This worship-of-Life mentality has contributed
to the failure of international religious leaders to address effectively the
issue of global population growth. At the root of so many worldwide economic
issues and problems of famine is random reproduction. Vitalists appear to
welcome each life into the most crowded neighborhoods, as if every birth were
intended by the Creator, as if human beings have no responsibility for family
planning. Last month the United Nations Population Fund called for "a sustained
and concerted program starting immediately" to curb population expansion, so
that poverty and hunger can be reduced and natural resources protected.
Projections are that without different reproductive choices by human beings,
the world will add 97 million new lives every year until the year 2,000, 90
million a year until the year 2025, and 61 million for the 25 subsequent years
- resulting in personal, economic, and ecological catastrophes. What is the
significance to such crowded life? Where is the victory or fullness beyond mere
volume? Is this God's Will?
Later this month, five days after the Provost, I
shall reach 55 years of age. I am hopeful for three decades (or so) more in
this life, but I am very aware that well over half my journey here has been
completed. I trust the Creator totally to care for me whenever I die. However,
I dread the prospects of falling into the hands of vitalists, Christians or
not, when I am near death; they will do everything possible, use whatever
expensive gadgetry is at hand, to prevent my death - whether I like it or not!
[Talk about playing God!] What is the significance to such tortured life? Where
is the abundance, the victory? Is this God's Will?
Vitalists have created a second God: namely,
"The Presence Of Any Degree Of Life In Any Human Condition." They respect Life
as they do God. For atheistic vitalists Life is their only God. The
preservation of Life is salvation; the pursuit of longevity is their ultimate
goal. They regard death as unnatural; some are committed to its delay as
victories over their enemy, death. Moreover, health-care vitalists have little
incentive to think otherwise; they are unlikely to be sued for over-treating.
If terminally ill, and if it seems that I am about to fall into their
idolatrous hands, I would prefer to take responsibility for concluding my own
life with grace and dignity, mindful of the one, true God.
The Easter Season is NOT a celebration of the
biochemical life process. Instead, we celebrate the Creator's initiative in
miraculously crowning Jesus as Lord and Christ; with the Disciples we recognize
Him as the glorified agent of transformation, of conversion from blinded life
to abundant, triumphant living. We have also been given hope for everlasting
life. Furthermore, Easter is also about renewed human living now; Easter
promotes quality of life rather than minimal existence.
However, abundant and victorious life is not
automatic. In partner- ship with God, as stewards of the Creator's gift of
life, human beings have choices to make. We have responsibilities to promote
and enhance the quality of our lives. At the very foundation of fulfilled
living are our reproductive decisions, our uses of natural resources, our
options for concluding our journeys here, and, of course, development of a
world which includes equal justice for all.
With regard to the week's tragedies which raised
critical issues of justice, I can add nothing of consequence to the perceptive
comments of Rodney King and President Bush. However, The Rev. Claudia Dickson
will now read a pastoral letter from our Presiding Bishop. [letter available]
As I watched televised scenes of brutality, injustice and interracial violence,
I wondered how many participants are Christians, the Easter People who preach
the Risen Lord and the Victorious Life. I recalled that World War II Nazis
regarded themselves as Easter People as do many Klan members. My mind wandered
to consider whether there would have been any major reaction - from Christian
African-Americans or our Christian President - if the brutality and verdict had
been related to a Gypsy, a gay man, or a Hasidic Jew. We Christians of all
races and ethnic heritages tend to be selective with our senses of injustice
and outrage.
The Victorious Life requires wise choices;
otherwise, numerous men, women, and children will exist as not much more than
surviving concoctions of molecules and water. Easter holds out the hope for
quality living - IF humanity will accept the Easter invitation to (and
responsibilities for) the triumphant life from beginning to end, and IF the
eyes of your faith and mine and of other Christians are opened. What is said
and done among conscientious, faithful Christians can be an eye-opener, indeed
a heart-warmer, such that people everywhere may (like St. Paul) be strengthened
for new purposes and progress toward shared, victorious living. This is the
Will of God!