Today is Sunday, the day of the Lord. Why do we (or did we used to) celebrate this day? It was because this is the day that Jesus Christ, Son of God, rose from the dead! Go back to that time, more than 2,000 years ago and try to imagine what his friends, the apostles, and all the other followers were feeling. They had been utterly devastated by his unspeakably cruel and embarrassing death on the cross (Jesus said that he gave up his life, freely; it was not taken away from him). They had such faith in him after seeing all his miracles and hearing him speak like no other had ever spoken, with authority and such love. Now was he a total failure? They were in shock!
The day after the Jewish Sabbath, a few women went to the tomb where he was buried and he was not there. One woman named Mary Magdalene thought she had seen the gardener, but no, it was Jesus! She ran back to where the group was meeting and blurted out, "I have seen the Lord!!" Perhaps a shred of understanding came to them: did he actually do this?
Peter was the first to step inside the empty tomb. He and the others found the shroud which had covered Jesus and knew: He is ALIVE!! That event changed history forever. The disciples went back to the room where they met. Jesus came to them, through the closed door, "It is I." Some thought they were seeing a ghost. Jesus read their thoughts and told them to feel the holes in his hands, feet, and side where the nails had gone through to hang him on the cross.
Jesus stayed with them for 40 days. He ate with them, walked with them, talked with them at length, then commissioned them, "All power in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:18-19). God the Father sent us his only Son, Jesus, to save us from our sins. Could there ever be any doubt how much God love us!
So today is my day for rest, relaxation, going to church, reading the Bible, rejuvenating in preparation for the busy week ahead. But as I pondered the above thoughts on God, I thought sadly of those who claim to not believe there is a God, and call themselves "atheists." Please note: I believe that part of what makes us human is the innate quest to know our Creator, God. Throughout history, ancient peoples have worshiped a deity that is bigger than themselves.
It was so disturbing to me to read in several newspapers about the "Reason Rally" in Washington, D.C., on March 24, 2012, that I clipped out the article and saved it. I've put it in my schedule book as a reminder to pray for atheists. On that day, "an estimated 20,000 atheists and agnostics heard author and activist Richard Dawkins encourage mockery of Catholic beliefs and those of other religions. "Don't fall for the convention that we're all 'too polite' to talk about religion," Dawkins said, before urging rally attendees to ridicule Catholics' faith in the Eucharist. . . Dawkins suggested atheists should show contempt for believers instead of ignoring the issue or feigning respect. "Mock them," he told the crowd. "Ridicule them! In public!". . ."How is it conceivable," he wondered, "that the laws of physics should conspire together - without guidance, without direction, without any intelligence - to bring us into the world?". . .It was "almost too good to be true," he rhapsodized, that this "mechanical, automatic, unplanned, unconscious process" should produce human intelligence" (Crossroads, April 1, 2012).
Dawkins is correct: it IS too good to be true that creation produced human intelligence without having a Creator! In my one and only philosophy course in college, the first proof that God exists is "Order in the Universe." In my prayers for atheists, I asked God what I could do and received, in my heart, what I thought the answer was: LOVE THEM! I know only several who are self-professed atheists, but I try to love them.
As you know, these are perilous times for religious 'believers' in America and in the world. One by one, the governments are trying to strip away all of our God-given rights to worship as we choose. It is not far-fetched to think that in the future we may have to choose, as did the first Christians, to openly declare our beliefs in our God, Jesus, or to worship at the altar of the current 'Emperor,' as the Romans worshiped Caesar. The time for decision is here now, we can't have it both ways, we can't sit on the fence and hope no one notices. How will you stand?
Know the beautiful, powerful, gentle love of God for you, now and always! It is THIS relationship that will most satisfy you. Some folks enjoy the love of God their whole lives. Some folks come to that love very late in life and wonder why they waited so long, if only they had known!
On Tuesday, I'll be in Tel Aviv, Israel! I want to walk where Jesus walked. You are invited to check out my travel blog, www.rockingthruworld.blogspot.com to see where I've been.
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