Reset

A homily for The Resurrection of the Lord (Easter Sunday), March 31, 2024

Acts 10:34a, 37-43, Col 3:1-4, Jn 20:1-9

It’s been more than 30 years since videogame systems went from curiosities to must-have additions to nearly every household, at least here in America.

Children and parents alike learned about levels and bosses and cheat codes, especially how left-left-down-A-A-C-up-B-C could give a player extra lives.

Extra lives.

Before cheat codes and game-reset buttons, the only notion of extra lives revolved around cats and their supposed nine of them.

But all of a sudden, any time Sonic or Mario plunged into the abyss or was incinerated or did something foolish enough to trigger some version of a “wah-wah-wahhhh” sound, some little piece of software summoned by a thumb button would bring our heroes back to life, as good as new. Sometimes even better; definitely far wiser.

And with the reset button in games having become a cultural icon, how often have we wished that real life had one?

That missed buzzer-beating shot? Reset! That missed birthday or anniversary? Reset! That missed promotion or raise at work? Reset! 

That loved one you miss terribly? 

Hmmm…

I’m pretty sure the whole notion of a reset button, of a new-life code, has blurred the line between reality and fantasy. At the very least, some of us have to remind ourselves that a reset, a resurrection is not an option in most situations.

I think that’s why more than a handful of people find today’s miracle of salvation for all of humankind either hard to believe or just plain humdrum.

Humdrum, because somebody’s avatar can return from the dead to fight and die again in some massively multiplayer online shoot-’em-up.

Hard to believe, because no one in the last 2,000 years, and no one before that, ever rose from the dead and broke free from the tomb by his own power.

That word — “believe.” These days, it’s sooo painfully loaded.

Culturally.

Politically.

Religiously.

Spiritually.

There’s not much I can say to the gamers. Pop culture, ya know?

Meanwhile, what I can say to the skeptics is that I believe that, on the third day after an excruciating, humiliating, brutal execution he accepted but never deserved, Jesus of Nazareth, of the house and lineage of King David, rose from the dead. He visited with his disciples and friends, and about six weeks after his resurrection, this Jesus fellow ascended to Heaven, also under his own power.

I believe that I do not need to experience some things through my senses to embrace them.

I believe some things defy explanation, scientific or otherwise.

I believe all things are possible with God. 

So, therefore, I do believe in miracles. 

I believe in everyday miracles wrought by science and technology.

I believe in everyday miracles wrought by prayer and kindness.

I believe that everyday miracles, though plentiful, are miracles just the same.

And I believe that, every now and then, every few millennia or so, a spectacular miracle can and does transform this little blue marble we call home. That we call the world. Terra firma. Earth. 

A miracle such as the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Nazorean.

I believe that the only begotten Son of the One True God walked among humankind preaching the Law of Love. I believe he so thoroughly upended the power structure that the infuriated religious-cum-civic leaders had him killed in the worst possible way, to make an example of him. 

I believe that his execution served as imperfect humanity’s perfect apology to the Creator for Adam and Eve’s know-it-all attitude.

I believe this is the only true reset that humankind has been granted.

I believe that this planet is a better place because of Emmanuel, though I know we have a long way to go as we live the new covenant.

I believe that Christ, risen and never again to die, walks with me and with everyone who lives, who ever lived or ever will live, always and everywhere. 

Credo. So human. So real. Yet such a leap of faith.

Thank God for the grace and renewal of faith that Easter delivers (along with Cadbury eggs).