April 24, 2011 (Easter Sunday)

Revised Common Lectionary Readings: Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-18

Several months ago a colleague of mine said he was going to be preaching on hope and the current immigration debate.  Since there is little chance that the U.S. will pass meaningful immigration reform in the next several years, I was intrigued and asked him where he finds hope. “Oh,” he said, “it’s not in this town (Washington, DC). It’s in the churches.”

Indeed, immigrant churches are providing a powerful witness to the Gospel in many ways. It may well be that the seeds of eventual immigration policy reform lie in the dedication and commitment of these congregations.

It’s easy to forget the source of our hope. So often it feels as though we’re stuck in a Good Friday world, with ample evidence of the power of injustice, violence and death all around us. We’re in limbo, waiting for Easter Sunday, when the stone is rolled away and evidence of God’s triumph is put on full display.

Resurrection and life really do win out in the end. This is the hope that we as Christians claim. It is our witness to those who have not heard this story (just as Peter shared with Cornelius in today’s Acts passage). It is what gets us up in the morning, empowered to love God and love our neighbors. And it should keep us from the cynicism to which it is so tempting to yield.

A few weeks ago, I gathered with a group of Christians near the U.S. Capitol building. We were frustrated and disheartened. Congress was making dramatic cuts to poverty and peace programs, at the same time that they were giving even more money to the military. Nothing we said to policymakers seemed to be making much of a difference.

The opening speaker at the rally gave us the message we badly needed to hear. “We’re Christians,” he reminded us. “We have Good News. The Good News is that Congress is not in charge. God is.”

That is the Good News to which we can cling this Easter and throughout the year. After all, we know how the story ends. Injustice and death don’t have ultimate sway. Resurrection and life really do win out in the end. Even though it may not be clear to us yet how that will happen, we trust that God will indeed make it happen.

Let us proclaim loudly our faith in the God of life this Easter morning. Hallelujah!

By Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach, Director, MCC U.S. Washington Office