Homily 489 | Easter Sunday
Immunity, what a beautiful word. I’ve had both of my COVID-19 shots now and theoretically have immunity from the virus. I’m tempted to run around without my mask hugging people! When you are immune to a virus, you will still come in contact with it… it just can’t hurt you anymore. This is what Easter should mean for Christians.
We know that Christ has been raised. Death no longer has power over him. He is immune to death. And do you not know, brothers and sisters, that you who have been baptized in Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death? If you have been baptized, then you have been inoculated against death. You’re still going to come in contact with it. People will still die. You will still die. But death can no longer hurt you. You’re immune.
The problem for many Christians is that we don’t live our life as if we are immune to death. We still live in fear of suffering and dread encountering death. Perhaps the message of Easter has become so familiar that we have actually built up immunity to the message. Sure, Jesus died and rose from the dead… I’ve heard that story. Nice, but a little boring after so many year.
In today’s first reading, Peter gets up and confronts the very people who just killed Jesus. He is no longer afraid, no longer denying Jesus. Rather, he goes and basically says, “You can kill me too, but I’ve got a few things to say first about Jesus and his resurrection.” Where did this confidence come from? Peter saw the risen Lord. He received the Holy Spirit. He was no longer afraid of death. He knew the secret. He knew he was immune death.