What's my last word?

Homily

Easter Sunday of the Lord's Resurrection 

20 April 2025

St. Ann Parish Prairie Village    

AMDG

If you've been following my pivotal questions during this Triduum, you'll notice they're all ultimate questions tied to the unique liturgical actions of these ultimate holy days.

Holy Thursday - What's your never - tied to the washing of feet.

Good Friday - How would you give your last kiss - tied to the veneration of the cross.

Now to Easter Sunday - What's my last word - tied to the renewal of my baptismal promises.

If I could say only one word for the rest of my life, what would be my final word?

I bet you can guess what mine is.  Risen!  Risen!  Risen!  Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.  He is risen just as He said!  Alleluia! Alleluia!

That's my word, tonight and forever.  Risen! On this word, and on this word alone, I am happy to bet everything I am and all that I ever will be.

Tonight I witness to you that this word -  Risen -is the most mysterious, dramatic, profound and TRUE word that has ever been spoken or could ever be spoken in all of human history.  Tonight I sing this word - Risen - in liturgical concert with the angels, the saints, and yes, the martyrs who died for the truth of this word even today, including Fr. Arul Carasala who died in the line of fire two weeks ago, betting his life on this word - Risen.  Today, I shout into the darkness that threatens so much and so many that this word - Risen - is the one thing I know to be true out of everything I know to be true.  

Risen - that's my word - now and forever.  What's yours

Today my prayer is that you too will dare to shout into the world a word that is your destiny to proclaim.  Today my prayer is that each of us and all of us, led by our catechumens and candidates, and the great risk of faith they speak tonight, will get off the couch!  Today is no time for a virtual Easter.  To hell with that.  I pray that in this Church today there is no sideline, no bench, no bystanders!

You have my answer.  I dare you to proclaim yours!

Why this word for me?  Because without it, even the most heartfelt words of love I ever say, words first spoken by Jesus - this is my body broken for you - lose their power. Without the word Risen even the greatest sign of love I have ever known, the cross on which I gave the most passionate kiss of my life Friday afternoon, is powerless in the face of death.  St. Paul said it best - unless Jesus is Risen, all of us here are just a bunch of pathetic losers.

But I don't profess this word tonight because I need it to be true.  My conviction about the empty tomb of Jesus is not a vain wish that justifies my life or helps numb me to the sting of death.  No, this word is the fruit of being a real disciple of Jesus.  Jesus never invites you to a wishful faith. That's weak sauce!  No, he invites me to follow Him first to the cross to verify whether there is a love strong as death.  I pray my discipleship has been a courageous one, filtered through the cross of Jesus where I have learned from Him how to face reality, fear nothing and avoid nothing.

My conviction comes from the times I have actually dared to be a a real Christian, and I'll be damned if Jesus wasn't right  - literally!  Every time I die to sin and to myself for love of Him, I lay hold of a new, different and powerful life that does not fade. Every time I suffer and die with Him, I also rise with Him.  

The paschal mystery - the passover mystery.  It's real people!  It's the only thing that ultimately works, every time!

Jesus Christ is Risen!  He is truly Risen!  Shame on me if this is ever something I have to pretend to be true, instead of something that as a disciple, through the risk of faith, I have discovered to be true.  On this truth - not this wish - but this truth - I am happy to bet everything that I am and ever will be.  Not because I need to, not because I'm afraid not to, but because I want to.

My word is Risen!  You've got next!

You're invited shortly to beat me or to join me.  If you dare join, renew your baptismal promises on Easter Sunday.  If you join, please don't do anything cheap or easy or pitiable.  This is conviction Sunday - the word means 'with victory'.  As our profession goes so goes our participation in the greatest victory of all time!  So let's decide with sharp minds, and pure hearts and courageous wills.

So I propose to you now a word that has rocked the history of the world, and changed forever the meaning of life and the destiny of man more than any other, to be the word of your life.  On this most holy moment set apart precisely for your risk of faith, I invite you to say the most mysterious, dramatic, profound and yes true word that has ever been or could ever be spoken.

Risen!  Jesus Christ is Risen!  He is Risen from the dead, just as He said.  Alleluia! Alleluia!

+mj