Easter and Emmaus
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lion of Judah has roared, and his roar has shaken all the wood and all that are therein, and the sun has arisen, and all the birds sing, and all the newborns suckle, and all the flowers bloom, and all the grasses flourish, for the eternal spring of souls has at long last arrived, and all Creation now rejoices, for Christ is risen from the dead.
At last, at long last! Today the sorrowing disciples went on their way to Emmaus, and he who is himself the Way came and walked with them, and and beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
Abraham received his only begotten son alive on the third day, his son who had carried the wood of his own sacrifice up the mountain. He bound him on that altar, and was ready to offer him but was stayed from doing so by the angel, and he took instead a ram caught in a thicket, and he saw in that thrilling moment a clear glimpse into this day of the Lord, and he was glad, for today Christ is risen from the dead.
Joseph was sold into bondage into Egypt, and there he waited on Potiphar, but because of the false witness of Potiphar’s wife against him he was thrown into the dark dungeon, but soon he became Lord of that prison, and was raised up to become the highest at the right hand of Pharaoh: see, Christ is risen from the dead.
And during the famine in all the land Joseph’s brothers, thinking him dead, came to Egypt for bread, and there he revealed himself alive before them, and they were glad, and they brought their gladdened father, and all of Israel, into that land of plenty: behold, Christ arisen from the dead.
All the poor children of Israel became slaves in Egypt, but at last came the Passover their Sacrament, for they sprinkled the blood of that lamb on their doorposts, so that the angel of death passed over their houses, as they ate unleavened bread, sweet bread, and Moses led them out of bondage into freedom: see, Christ arisen from the dead.
And they came to the border of the Red Sea, but when they saw the fierce advancing Egyptian army approaching, they were afraid; for alas, they had no weapons and no escape and nowhere to flee. But Moses lifted his wooden staff, and the waters parted, and they crossed that sea on dry land, and all of Pharaoh’s advancing army chased after them and were drowned in the same, and so Israel rejoiced with the rising of the sun, when they saw their enemies all dead on the seashore, and they rejoiced with loud song and jubilation. Do you see? Christ is risen from the dead.
After forty years in their Lenten wilderness they crossed over Jordan into the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey, and there they became heirs of houses full of all good things, which they did not fill, and wells dug, which they did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees which they did not plant. See here too, an abundant and full inheritance rich and free. Christ is risen from the dead.
And Samson that mighty judge, put to rout his enemies, as the hymnist declares, he carries hence hell’s cursed gates; all Satan’s power he devastates. Christ is risen from the dead.
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: who subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens; women received their dead raised to life again, and all of it, all, I say, a litany of countless repetitions of that deliverance that was yet to come, that deliverance that finally did come at long last, through ages upon ages, upon this Easter Day, this very day of days, to the delight and amazed gladness of the women at the tomb, and of the disciples on the Emmaus Road, and of all the disciples, for they heard and saw with their own eyes: Christ is risen from the dead.
Now you also, O man, whoever you are, join today in this delight, and welcome this eternal gladness into your heart, for the Lion of Judah has roared, and your Isaac was found alive; your Joseph has arisen out of his prison; your Moses has led you through the sea, through Lent and into Canaan; your Samson, your David, your Daniel, yea your Christ himself is risen from the dead.
And your sins have been put away, as far as the east is from the west, and your fallenness has been restored; for you are the penitent David, whose adultery and murder are remembered no more; you are the woman caught in sin, brought trembling before your Lord, who will not condemn you today; you are the publican in the temple unwilling to raise your eyes so much as unto heaven, pleading, God be merciful to me a sinner, who went down to your house justified; you are the penitent thief, and today you are received into Paradise, for Christ is risen from the dead.
Behold, all ye weary of heart: all ye that mourn, for you shall be comforted. Your dead are alive, for you are the widow of Nain, and your son has been raised. You are the ruler of the synagogue to whom Jesus said, Go your way, your son liveth. Yea, you yourself have come forth out of the tomb, for you are Lazarus! See now in advance your own resurrection from the dead, and the resurrection of the loved ones you have buried; see it all today, for Christ is risen from the dead.
Today the Lion of Judah roars, and his roar shakes all the wood and all that are therein, and the sun arises, and all the birds sing, and all the newborns suckle, and all the flowers bloom, and all the grasses flourish, for the eternal spring of souls has at long last arrived, and all Creation now rejoices, for Christ is risen from the dead.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Yea, a thousand times alleluia!
Alleluia! Christ is risen!