Rejoicing in Easter’s happy contradictions

Today, on the Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, the psalm proclaims that the rejected stone has become the stone of choice and “It is wonderful in our eyes” (Ps 118:22-23). The psalmist rejoices over a mystery of contradiction. This suits today’s great feast, as the church rejoices over the happy contradiction that life prevails over death. It is not, however, any life and any death that the readings speak of today. It is the life lived in Christ and the death of all that is passing from this earth.

Today’s celebration includes an extra reading, called a “sequence,” just before the Gospel acclamation. This poetic text comes from the medieval era. About halfway through the hymn the text reads, “Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.” Only poetry can illustrate a mystery as deep as the one that is integral to the Christian faith: Christ, the Prince of Life, experienced death yet reigns immortal. 

Only poetry can illustrate a mystery as deep as the one that is integral to the Christian faith: Christ, the Prince of Life, experienced death yet reigns immortal. 

For Paul, faith in this fundamental principle was everything he needed. In today’s second reading, Paul writes to the community in Colossae to remind them that they are raised with Christ. “If then you were raised with Christ,” writes Paul, “seek what is above… Think of what is above, and not of what is on earth” (Col 3:1-2). Paul, who writes from prison, remains fervent in his declaration that Christ’s resurrection is the only “power” one needs to face life or death. The Colossians were finding alternative practices to measure their faith, such as matters around ritual food and drink, or festivals that involved cosmic deities (see Col 2:16). They were participating in the worship of their neighbors while forgetting that they had died to this former way of life in order to live with the author of life in Christ.

“For you have died,” writes Paul, “and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). If this is true, one can expect the remains of the former person to die and pass away. This may become meaningful for us as we start our journey through the Easter season. It will be difficult to find the wonder and joy in the resurrection if our previous nature remains alive and in control. Today’s celebration is not just a challenge to increase in faith, but also a wake-up call not to pass away with the things of the earth. Paul reminds the Colossians, “seek what is above,” because that is where Christ sits with the Father (Col 3:1). Life prevails over death, but this happy contradiction reveals itself only when a hidden unity with Christ visibly animates the life of the one who believes.