You Only Live Once?
The Resurrection Changes Everything
“Because Jesus rose from the dead, he gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we could experience in our own lives right now some of the same power that raised Jesus 2000 years ago. ”
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was essentially the eternal breaking into the temporal. Our world of space-time was interrupted by a different dimension of existence - one that incorporates our world of height, width, depth and time while transcending it. (Think of a three dimensional object like a sphere passing through a two dimensional plane. The cube includes the plane’s two dimensions while adding a third.) The resurrection, however, is not an exercise in geometry and physics. It is an exercise in living life to the fullest.
In John 10:10, Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The various things that are stolen from us - goodness, health, justice, and life itself - are, or one day will be, restored to us and enhanced through the resurrection. There are two ways to think about this.
The first is perspective. When viewed from the perspective of materialism (the belief that this world is all there is), life becomes one giant series of getting your hopes up only to have them dashed. The vibrancy of youth slowly drains away or is cut short by some unforeseen accident or illness. Our relationships change in unhelpful or even destructive ways or they simply vanish or are taken from us. Livelihoods and retirement plans are eaten up or rendered inadequate. Even our accomplishments lose some of their luster and will eventually be forgotten as one generation succeeds another. In other words, the reality of sin and death eventually takes its toll.
This is a reality that many would just as soon ignore completely. Alternatively, some insist that this situation means that life must be lived and any mention of God is just useless pie in the sky. And since you only live once, you have to grab all the gusto you can and make everything perfect now - even if you have to crush your opponents in the process.
What both of these approaches miss is the fact that sin and death are unavoidable and therefore no matter how well or poorly you live your life you still wind up going extinct. Another factor that the “you only live once” crowd tend to overlook is the reality of crushing poverty, disability, or other circumstances that make it impossible to obtain justice in this life, much less live well. In other words, “you only live once” works very well if you’re in good shape and have access to resources. Take those conditions away and the slogan leaves much to be desired.
The resurrection changes all that. It means that we can see things from the perspective of eternity in which justice, love, health, and life prevail. No sickness, no broken relationship, no deprivation is ever final. As St. Paul wrote, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
This in turn gives eternal significance to our lives. Who we are, what we think, say, and do, how we treat others matters, not just for the present but for ever. Seeking to help others, to make society more just and more civil, and to improve ourselves in the process are not just nice things to do if you should so choose. They are eminently sensible activities because our good works do indeed follow us - literally. On top of that, the resurrection means that nobody, no matter how powerful they think they are now, is going to get away with unrepentant evil and injustice. Every wrong will be put right.
The second way to think about the reality of the resurrection follows from the first. The resurrection is not just about perspective, it’s about power. Because Jesus rose from the dead, he gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we could experience in our own lives right now some of the same power that raised Jesus 2000 years ago. While the fullness of the resurrection lies in the future, we still have access to some aspects of resurrection in the present.
Whenever we see healing, wholeness, and the growth of good relationships, both personal and societal, we are witnessing the
in-breaking of God’s Kingdom or Reign. Anytime we are moved to act in faith, hope, and love we are experiencing the power of Jesus’ resurrection today. Sometimes these events are small scale and/or hidden. Other times they are grand and obvious. But whatever the level or visibility of a particular “resurrection event”, life becomes fuller and better and more abundant than it was before.
This is at least part of what Jesus meant when he said that he had come to give abundant life. He wanted us to understand that, regardless of our circumstances, our lives can be lived with a joy and a hope that is not going to disappoint us. Not even death can squelch our hope because death doesn’t get the last word. Jesus gets the last word, and that word is life - life in abundance with unlimited joy and love. Life in the presence of a loving Father or Mother (take your pick or choose both if you like) who will never abandon us and who does and always will seek and work for our good.
In other words, eternal life is about both the duration and quality of life. Jesus’ resurrection gives us an eternal perspective from which to see all the events of our lives and also gives us the power to live in the present with the power of his presence. How great is that?
So this Easter, take some time to reflect upon your life from the perspective of Jesus’ resurrection. Realize that all that has been or is painful in your life will be washed away or reshaped so that it becomes a source of strength for you - a source you can use to bless and benefit others. Also realize that all the good and wonderful events of your life will indeed follow you, that there are some things that you actually can take with you - and will.
And as you reflect and realize, pray. Pray that you will be able to see more and more of Jesus’ resurrection power at work in your own life and in the life of the world around you. And as you pray, act. Act in ways that bring others to see for themselves that Jesus has indeed risen and desires to raise them up too. Help them to see that their lives have meaning and that their circumstances do not determine their destiny, much less their identity. Sin and death have themselves been dealt a fatal blow in the resurrection of Jesus. Therefore, as
St. Paul again so famously put it, “ And now these three remain:
faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
The reason love remains, and not death, is because Jesus is risen. He is risen indeed.
Blessings!