The Character of Resurrection

If we’re to follow the example Jesus set, our first goal is not to become Caesar, or exhibit the characteristics of Caesar, and second, we’re called to stand against the Caesars in our world with, as Gulley writes, "every fiber of our moral being."

While Caesar used his power to cut down, diminish, control, punish, and destroy, God’s response was to restore life – not physically, but spiritually. Easter is the story of Divine Love undoing the work of Caesar. Easter is the story of God’s resurrection character.

We all have both characters within us. We have times when we’re generous, kind, helpful, loving, compassionate people. And we have times when we’re all out of nice, we complain, are negative, may say, think or do unkind things, may be spiteful and jealous. Hey, we’re not perfect. But we have a choice. The choice is whether we’ll live our lives (as much as possible) as people of resurrection, as Easter people, seeking to undo the crucifixions that continually happen in our world, seeking to bring new life.

In the mid-1990s, the peace accords were signed between Mexico and Guatemala and refugees began returning from Mexico to rebuild their lives. Kathy McNeely, a former lay missioner to Guatemala wrote about how bleak the surroundings felt when her group drove into a camp of returning refugees. “There were plastic tarps everywhere, a group of men were working together to chop firewood, and women were lined up to gather water from one of two newly constructed wells. The ground was muddy from the spring rains.”

As depressing as it looked, when they spoke to one of the community leaders, Eduardo, he was very animated, hopeful and excited about all they were accomplishing. He sat tall as he talked about their move from Mexico and how they had bonded together and formed committees to build and plant and help one another get settled into their new homes.

But when Eduardo was asked about what had happened to cause them to leave Guatemala in the first place, his demeanor immediately changed. He slumped on his stool, his voice got low and quiet and he struggled not to cry. He had been just nine years old when he had fled with his mother and sister. There were family members, animals, possessions left behind; he could hear screaming and see flames coming from the rooftops of the houses when he looked back. The massacre story of Eduardo’s childhood is only one of many modern crucifixion stories.

Eduardo could have grown up with anger and bitterness and taken on a character of crucifixion, striking back against life and those who had hurt his family. Instead, his life revealed a resurrection character – positivity, hope in the future, a drive to build and create something meaningful and worthwhile. For Eduardo and all who live out of a character of resurrection, death and destruction do not have to the final say, we can work to create a world full of life-giving possibilities for all.

I’ve been asking myself where we go from here, and the answer is to use our powers for resurrection. Sometimes it is our own personal resurrections – like seeing doctors, specialists, and alternative medical practitioners to get healthier; or doing what it takes to heal from surgery, finding a therapist to work on healing the emotional wounds of the past (so we don’t live out of that crucifixion character), or beginning to do something we love that feeds our souls.

Sometimes using our powers of resurrection looks like adopting a rescue animal, getting rid of invasive species, planting a garden or a tree, feeding the birds. Perhaps it looks like volunteering to help others and so offering hope. Or perhaps it looks like protesting, advocating, seeking justice. Or donating to a cause, or many causes. Or recycling, upcycling, composting, cutting back on your carbon footprint and simplifying what you consume.

Maybe using our powers of resurrection includes sending encouraging notes, giving flowers, making food, welcoming the stranger, making a new friend.

Resurrection works for the future in a hopeful, life-is-beautiful-and-full-of-possibilities sort of way. And our Resurrection character kicks in even when the odds are stacked against us.

Let me share a story from Margaret Wheatley's book, Turning to One Another, it is "A Story from the Aztec people of Mexico:

It is said by our Grandparents that a long time ago there was a great fire in the forests that covered our Earth. People and animals started to run, trying to escape from the fire. Our brother owl, Tecolotl, was running away also when he noticed a small bird hurrying back and forth between the nearest river and the fire. He headed towards this small bird.

He noticed that it was our brother the Quetzal bird, Quetzaltototl, running to the river, picking up small drops of water in his beak, then returning to the fire to throw that tiny bit of water on the flame. Owl approached Quetzal bird and yelled at him: “What are you doing brother? Are you stupid? You are not going to achieve anything by doing this. What are you trying to do? You must run for your life!”

Quetzal bird stopped for a moment and looked at owl, and then answered: “I am doing the best I can with what I have.”

It is remembered by the Grandparents that a long time ago the forests that covered our Earth were saved from a great fire by a small Quetzal bird, an owl, and many other animals and people who got together to put out the flames.” 

This is what a resurrection character looks like. Jesus had it. The disciples had it. Eduardo had it. The Quetzal bird had it. We all have that resurrection character within us… may we trust it and live it… even when it’s hard.

Happy Easter!

Kaye