The Light of Christ and
the Love of GodThe Rev. Lynn Oldham Robinett
Assistant Rector
St. Paul's Church
Easter Vigil, 2004
Easter Vigil: The Readings
At The Liturgy of the WordGenesis 1:1-2:2 [The Story of Creation]
Genesis 22:1-18 [Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac]
Exodus 14:10-15:1 [Israel's deliverance at the Red Sea]
Isaiah 4:2-6 [God's Presence in a renewed Israel]
Isaiah 55:1-11 [Salvation offered freely to all]
Ezekiel 36:24-28 [A new heart and a new spirit]
Ezekiel 37:1-14 [The valley of dry bones]
Zephaniah 3:12-20 [The gathering of God's people]
At The Eucharist
Romans 6:3-11
Matthew 28:1-10
We sit here tonight in the darkness to remind us of the darkness that is present in our world. We sit here tonight in the darkness to remember the story of our faith, which began in darkness but into which light was brought. We sit here tonight in darkness, experiencing a light that could not be extinguished, but which became even brighter when forces tried to put it out.
The events of the past week have led us to where we are now. We began this week with Palm Sunday, with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. His reception by throngs of people, welcoming him as a king. Then came his last meal, shared with all those whom he loved. The one at which he taught his disciples how to continue on after he was gone. Then his arrest, his trial, his crucifixion, his death. The light of Christ, the one that shined so briefly on this earth, disappeared. The disciples didn't know what to do. Some ran away. Some hid. Some cried. They found themselves in their darkest hour.
All of us have had some dark times in our lives. The darkness of our lives at times can seem overwhelming. And in those moments when our lives do not match our expectations, when nothing seems to be going our way, when we can't seem to make the right ends meet, we struggle to believe that the world can be a warm place. It's easy to believe that the darkness is stronger than the light. But as the candle that preceded our entrance into the church tonight symbolizes, the light, however how small will never succumb to the darkness. The light may seem dim, but it is enough of a flame to put out light and warmth.
The light that led our way into the church is so much more than a single candle. It is the light that God created at the beginning of time. It is the pillar of fire that led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the Red Sea. It is God's son who came to this world to teach us through his life and death what it means to be God's children. It is love. It is God's love for us that lifts us up and supports us in our darkest hour. There may be times when we can't see the light. But it is there. It is always there. Sometimes it may take the form of a phone call from someone who cares. Maybe it takes the form of an invitation to join in at a time that feels very lonely. The love that we have for each other keeps that light, the love of God, shining in this world.
I don't know how many of you ever saw a movie called As Good As It Gets. It starred Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. Jack Nicholson played Melvin, a man who was not really all that likable. Melvin was a man with many little idiosyncrasies that ordered everything in his life including his relationships. To say he was neurotic is to put it mildly. To say that he was demanding, is an understatement. To say that he was self-absorbed, does not do justice to the word absorption. The reality of Melvin was that he was very lonely and did not know how to maintain even the simplest of relationships. Everything he did centered on himself.
And into his world came Helen Hunt, who played a woman by the name of Carol. A single mother of a sickly young boy, working as a waitress to support them both. She knows Melvin because she is the only one who is able to put up with him and his odd behavior at the restaurant where she works. She too is lonely and feels isolated because of a lack of substantial relationships with other human beings. She puts up with Melvin's demanding attitudes because she feels sorry for him. And he continues to seek her out because she is the only one who will put up with him. One day, the loneliness and sadness that have been the backbone of their lives, reaches a point where each of them needs to look beyond the needs on the surface, to go after needs that have been pushed aside.
In doing so, the lonely and angry Melvin, and the lonely and sad Carol get into a relationship. One who was only able to give, learns how to receive. And the other who was so used to demanding, learns how to give. The two of them learn together to love in a way that had been pushed aside to protect themselves from the pain that opening oneself up to love can bring. The darkness that surrounded Melvin, and the fear that invaded Carol's life, gave way to love. The darkness didn't completely disappear, but an opening was created to let in more light through the love that they found in each other.
So often when we are in those dark times, it's easy to keep it to ourselves, to not want to bother anyone else with our pain. To do so though denies God the opportunity to be an active presence in our lives. Private prayer is a wonderful way to develop a relationship with God, but it is only one way. And it is not a complete way. Christ came to live among us in human form so that we could understand how to be in relationship with God as human beings. Our lives do not exist in an existential plane, but are worldly and grounded in our human nature. That is why God sent his son to walk on our earth and teach us how to live and be in a godly relationship with one another.
In just a few minutes, we will baptize three babies into the fellowship of our Christian community. Ember Laura Knowles. Carl Douglas Robinett. Samai Belen Wilson. Their parents have chosen individuals to serve as Godparents in their lives. These people have been chosen because their parents think they can be a godly presence in the lives of these children. It is the duty of these Godparents to serve as a light when their godchildren encounter any times of darkness. To be a loving presence in the times when they need the extra support.
This light that reminds us of Christ's presence, burns within everyone of us, and fills our hearts with God's love. To create the world that God wants us to live in, we need to be that light for one another. We need to share that light in the times of darkness. And we need to create the space for the light to grow brighter.
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