Sometimes when we look at our world today, and bad news spills over into more bad news, we can be easily overcome with gloom and despair.
Many of us have taken another walk through the week that changed the course of world history. A week unlike any other before and any other to come.
For the last twenty centuries, Christians have celebrated this night as the culmination of that momentous week— we call “holy.”
Within the confines of this sacred space— on this splendid night, there is much that surrounds us— that is holy: Water and Oil; Bread and Wine; Flesh and Blood.
I hope we feel safe here. We feel comforted. And that we want to believe that all is right— and all will be right— with our world.
And yet, we know all too well that all is not right with our world.
Since that night long ago, when Almighty God destroyed the chains of death that bound his only Son, we have not always been our best at making our world a better place.
In this present century, religious ideologies bent on violence, terror and blood have become ruthless instruments of oppression— where the mercy of God is dispensed in order to wage “the final battles of the apocalypse.”
The light of the Resurrection— has many times— in our own days upon this earth— been overshadowed by the darkest deeds of humankind.
And yet, when we use our God-given ingenuity, energy, and talents we can create a civilization of hope and prosperity.
And so, there is just one question that I would like all of us to ponder.
It is a question that was first asked by three women, a very, very long time ago:
Who will roll away the stone?
For us, here tonight, we speak not of the stone that stood guard over the entrance to the tomb, whose sole purpose was to hold back the lifeless body of the Lord Jesus.
No, for us, the stone, we speak of is that stone which holds us back; the stone which prevents those from coming forth from darkness, despair, and discouragement— into the light of a new day.
And so, if there is a still stone that prevents the release of the shackles of prejudice and intolerance?
If there is a stone that blocks the way of mercy and forgiveness?
If there is a stone that hinders the removal of the barriers of indifference and selfishness?
Then, tonight, take away the stone!
40 days ago, a stone was placed upon our font of baptism. Tonight, we will unseal this tomb and into it will walk those elected for Baptism.
Into the tomb of death, they will enter and under the water of destruction they will be drenched, but out they will come, breathing for the first time the fragrance of new life, knowing that they have died with Christ and with Christ they have risen.
Then they and others will be will signed and sealed with the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit to perfect in them what began in Baptism.
Washed clean and anointed with power, each of them, will come forward to the Banquet of the Lamb, crucified and risen, together with all of us, to eat and drink of the Lord’s Body and Blood.
And finally, that heavy and weighty stone that sealed Jesus in the confines of that rock-hewn tomb— was but a pebble compared to the Rock of Ages inside.
Let our hearts be filled this night with the Good News that captures the fullest and most complete meaning of everything that is so sacred and splendid about this glorious night— as we remember and celebrate: we are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song!