Easter Homily

Here is my homily for the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday.  Because the Lectionary gives the option of using the Gospel Reading assigned for the Vigil at Masses on Sunday as well, I chose to preach on the Vigil Gospel (Matthew) at all the Masses.  For those interested, here are links to the readings on both days.  Christ is Rise!  Alleluia!

Vigil: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041914.cfm

Sunday: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/042014.cfm

Some of you know that the sport that I like to watch the most is football. You may also know that the team that I like to watch are the Minnesota Vikings. Though for the last several seasons I have to admit that I feel more like I am a “recovering” Minnesota Vikings fan. Even though their last few seasons have been less than spectacular however, I continue to hope, like other Vikings fans that we will be able to get a good head coach who lead them to victory… And a descent quarterback who can both run and throw the ball … And some good running backs that can work well with the quarterback… And some good offensive linemen to protect the passer … a good defense that can stop the pass and the run … Oh! And a good place kicker who’s consistent … a descent punter that can kick the ball way back … a great coaching staff that can bring them all together as a team. If we could just get those few things – and a good stadium – we’ll be doing alright!

Anyway, despite my love for the Vikings, one of my favorite coaches from the history of the NFL is Vince Lombardi, coach of the Green Bay Packers. In 10 years as head coach of the Packers, he led them to five league championships and won the first two Super Bowls. Today, the trophy that is awarded to the Super Bowl champions is called the Vince Lombardi Trophy in his honor. Now I don’t know that much about Lombardi, but I do know that he was a very tough task-master. My junior high football coach and various professors I had in college liked to refer to “Lombardi Time”. Coach Lombardi had a rule that the players and coaching staff had to be at practice and ready to work 15 minutes before the scheduled time for the team meeting. If you’re on time, you’re late. I’m sure he had that rule because he wanted to light a fire under his players and staff. He didn’t want to waste time while he waited for people to get to practice. He wanted to get right to work. That readiness to work at practice would also translate to a readiness to work at games.

I also remember a drill that my football coaches in junior high made the team do. I don’t remember what they were called, but they were inspired by Coach Lombardi and I remember that I was tired and sore by the end of them. All the players would run in place, moving our feet very quickly. When the coach would blow his whistle, we all had to fall down on the ground and then quickly get back up and continue running in place. The idea was to help us get used to moving quickly and learning to get up quickly if we fell or were hit down. We weren’t going to be doing much playing of football or winning any games if we were going to be taking our time just getting back up.

I obviously don’t know what it’s like being a professional football player, but as a teenage boy, I know we needed those reminders of being on time and that training to keep us quick and working hard. As young boys, we thought we could do anything. We thought we were quicker and stronger and smarter than we really were. The coaches had to help us realize what we really needed.

The Easter account that we hear this year is from Matthew. The thing that stuck out to me about this account is the urgency that we see throughout. First we hear about the two Marys coming to the tomb “as the first day of the week was dawning”. Remember, Jesus was put into the tomb late Friday afternoon. The Jewish Sabbath starts at sundown on Friday and goes until sundown on Saturday, which means no work on that day. So they really couldn’t do much for Jesus’ burial until Sunday morning. So these women came the first chance they had at dawn. Then the earthquake happens and the angel appears. But you can see there is no time for small talk with this guy. “Do not be afraid” they are told. After being shown that Jesus is not there and being invited to see the burial cloths, the angle gives more instructions. “Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’” These two women have just been given the biggest shock of their lives and they don’t even have to time stand in wonder at the fact that the tomb is empty. Then we are told they quickly go, “fearful yet overjoyed”, when the run into Jesus himself. They pay him homage and He tells them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” Again, no time for small talk, barely even a greeting and they are already being told, go and tell my disciples what has happened. Jesus doesn’t use the word “quickly” there, but you can still sense the urgency: there is no time to loose; Go!
The reason for this urgency should not come as a surprise to anyone. The word needs to get out! Jesus Christ has risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia! In my own weird sense of humor, I like to picture that on that first Easter Sunday morning, Jesus rose, stretched His arms, looked at the angel sitting there and said, “Alright. Now it’s time to get some work done around here!” He started by sending this message via those two women: meet me in Galilee. It is there that He tells them even more. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Much like a good coach or a good leader is going to light a fire under his staff or players to get them to work hard and be on time, so also Jesus is getting his Apostles into top gear. We too are being sent forth with this great Easter celebration. There is no time to loose, let us tell the world of our Savior.