Dying or Living Jesus

Jesus became one with us and did so as completely as he could, even to the point of death.  While we can appreciate and even celebrate an aspect of dying, it is only a part, and given the length of his life and content of his teaching it is maybe a lesser part of the story.  An element of salvation is in the dying, but it is made valid in his rising.  Because Jesus went beyond death, life becomes new and different, to be lived and celebrated out loud.  The anticipation gives way to realization and what was wondered about is.  Jesus is not simply the person who hung on the cross.  Before that event he was the one who preached, who wandered among the people, who developed a sense of himself and of his own faith.  He was the one who shared himself and received what others offered, and beyond the dying he is the one who came up out of death into glory.

We are united with him in the dying.  We are joined also to resurrection into new life and power -- the life of God and the power of his Spirit.  Death seems to be present only so the resurrection may follow.

Too often, however, we take refuge in the suffering.  We are stalled in the dying, overwhelmed by meditation on pain.  The late Jesus is the unfortunate model rather than the risen one.  Without the crucifixion faith would be diminished, but without resurrection it would be nothing at all.  We have to let him come down from the cross.  He is not dead anymore.  To stay united only to his death is to be tied only to the past, to an incomplete event.  Joined to his resurrection, we enter our own present and future, as well as his.

It may have seemed easier when he was hanging there on the cross and perhaps a Jesus who will not stay dead may seem more demanding.  Demand may not be the right word, but if it were he would be so because he would have become more real, more invested in who we are together.  If he is alive he also becomes more easily found, more readily celebrated, in other things and people, in all who share life.