Moreover, Paul says that "Jesus Christ is the first fruit of all those who have fallen asleep". What does this mean? The farmer is very keen to have a look at the first fruit of the harvest; because if the first fruits are good then the whole harvest will be good. If on the other hand, the first fruits are bad, then the whole harvest will be bad. The first fruits give us an indication of what is going to happen to the whole harvest. Now Paul is saying that Jesus is the first fruit of all those that have fallen asleep, of all those that have died. This means that whatever happened to Jesus is going to happen to all of us. If Jesus died then we are all going to die. However, Jesus rose again and we will be experiencing the same reality ourselves.
This is what has sustained the church for over two thousand years. This is what has kept our Christian faith going in the midst of so many trails, so much unbelief and in the midst of so much ridicule at times. This faith in the resurrection will also sustain us as a Catholic community, as a Catholic church as we journey into the future.
I am sure that at some stage we have all pondered and reflected on these three questions. Where did we come from? What am I doing living at this particular time? What is going to happen to me when this life finishes for me with death? We need to find an answer for these questions, because they have a great bearing on the purpose and worth of our existence. Only Jesus Christ can give us the answers for these questions. We come from Him as created by God. We are called to live this life based on His teaching to reach our full potential and help others to do the same. We are destined to live for ever with our God after we die.
Today we may hear a lot of negative talk about the church. We are not perfect. We are very sinful because we are human. Every time we stop fixing our gaze upon Jesus we make terrible mistakes. Yet Jesus promised to be with us till the end of time. The Roman empire has come and gone, the British empire has come and gone. Hitler had the hope that his new order of government will last a thousand years. It barely lasted a few years. Yet the church has remained and will continue to do so because of the promise of the protection of the Resurrected Jesus.
Even if we take a quick look at what is happening today points to this reality. The Editorial of this weekends "Australian" is quite revealing. It attests that it is cool to be Christian today because "it is hard to recall a time when debate over Christianity has been more lively or the public more engaged with its story". This time last year millions were glued to the TV sets as they followed the funeral of Pope John Paul 11. Young people flocked to St Peter's Square to be close to Pope John Paul II as he neared the end of his earthly journey. The installation of Pope Benedict XVI as his successor was one of the biggest international television events of the new millennium. This pointed to the fact that people are craving for the spiritual and secularism and doing your own thing when you want and how you want will not bring you peace and meaning to your life.
At this time last year Mel Gibson revealed his film "The Passion of Christ". It was at first met with so much heated debate and some even ridiculed the whole project. The reality is that within six months it became the eighth largest money maker movie of all time. Last Sunday at St Peter's Square, young people from Australia received the World Youth Day Cross from German young people. This cross, given by Pope John Paul II was used in Cologne last year for the Wold Youth day and it will be used in Sydney in 2008 where about half a million young Catholic people will be gathering around Pope Benedict XVI for a celebration of our Catholic faith. Again, it is estimated that 4.5 million Australians will be attending church services during this Easter weekend. This is one in four Australians.
Moreover, the generation called "the Baby Boomers" like myself, grew up in a situation where the catch cry was "God is dead". There is no room for God in our culture and in our lives. Todays young people are rejecting this idea. 40% of young people surveyed said that religion is important for them, and this is double what was found in 1978. 56% of young people say that spirituality, or a relationship with God is very important for them even though many do not go to church.
In communist China, about 8,000 worshippers, most of them young, will be attending the Easter Masses at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in South Beijing. The parish priest Fr Francis Xavier Xzang says that the church is thriving with two thirds of the congregation under 40. Tonight he will baptise 108 young adults. he says, "there is a vacuum in China today. it's too materialistic. Young people are saying there's no purpose in their lives". This new wave of religious belief reflects a quest for meaning beyond the mere material that is so constantly emphasised around us.
Our country, needs to continue to hear this message of hope and purpose for life. Our country will be definitely riches embracing the values and the ideals of Jesus. You and I are called to own the message of Jesus and make it part of our lives so that we can pass it on to others. For millions of people the Resurrected Jesus offers an answer to their deepest longings. Many more still needs to hear this. Many more still need to come closer to Jesus. Build from today, let us live our lives in harmony with the teachings of Jesus. Let us ask for forgiveness by celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Let us give some time each week to be nurtured by our God through the attendance of Mass and receiving the Eucharist.
Donte Alighieri, the famous Italian writer who wrote the "Divine Comedy" describes very clearly our call in life.
"Christians be serious in taking action.
Do not be life a feather to every wind.
Nor think that every water cleanses you
you have the New and the Old Testament
and the Shepherd of the Church to guide you.
Let this be all you need for your salvation
Be men, do not be senseless sheep."
Happy Easter.
God bless.
