Stations of the Resurrection: Introduction

Stations of the Resurrection

By

Raymond Chapman

Introduction

            The Resurrection of Jesus Christ in central to our Christian faith and has been so from the beginning. It is the proof and promise that he was not just in inspired teacher or a righteous man but the incarnate Son of God, who lived a fully human life even unto death, but overcame death and was raised to glory. Our Christian Sunday celebrates the day of Resurrection on the first of the week as told in the Gospels.

            The biblical witnesses record several experiences of the presence of Christ in the forty days between the Resurrection and the Ascension. They tell of their meetings with one who was identical with they had loved and followed; yet wonderfully transformed. The change in mood in the disciples after the desolation of Good Friday, the new confidence and firmness of purpose with which they went out to preach the good news and begin the work of the Church, are the strongest testimony to the reality of their experiences.

            Almost every book in the New Testament directly refers to the Resurrection; all are founded on the faith of Christ raised from the dead. It was mighty act of God, not a solution to a sudden disaster, but ordained for the completion of the Incarnation and the salvation of the world.

            The evidences about the risen Body agree in several ways. This was not resuscitation of one apparently dead, or the resumption of former life as had occurred at the raising of Lazarus, the daughter of Jairus and the widow’s son at Nain. The body in which the Risen Christ appeared was free of time and space, not restricted by such human barriers as locked doors. Yet this was not a ghost or disembodied spirit, for this new body was palpable to the touch and could join his friends at meals as in the past. The Witnesses had no doubt that this glorified Lord was the same as the Jesus who had called them to follow him.

            The bodily Resurrection of Christ on earth lasted forty days. It culminated in the Ascension, which was not the withdrawal of his power and love from us but the beginning of a new dispensation, it ensures that the human race participates in his glory, because it was his humanity as well as his divinity that has entered into heaven. Thus heaven is not a remote spiritual realm detached from the world, but a reality for the perpetual healing and strengthening of those who still walk on earth as Christ walked before.

            Christians live in the Easter faith because we have not only the past witness but the abiding presence of Christ with the faithful. When St. Paul writes of “Christ in me” he is not just using a figure of speech. Christ was raised from the dead for our justification. (Romans 4:25); the Atonement brought by his passion is made effective in all who believe that he lives for us as he died for us, We share in the totality of sacrificial love through suffering to glory. This is represented and received in our baptism when we symbolically die with him and were raised with him. (Col. 2:12)

            The Resurrection of Christ in our present strength and our future hope, it is the guarantee of our own resurrection, clearly promised and affirmed in scripture and creeds. We are already sharers in his life (Col. 3:1-4; Eph. 2:5-6). Humanity is given the double victory of redemption for sin and triumph over death until the end of time when God’s purpose is completed (1 Cor. 15:20-24).

            We can discern signs of resurrection al around us in this word. We are reminded of it in the yearly renewal of nature; in recovery form illness; in forgiveness and reconciliation after estrangement; an all new hopes and fresh starts. All these manifest the restoring power of God’s love. But are only types of the great mystery that lies beneath them.

            We should cultivate a theology of joy. It is right that Christians, individually and collectively, should care much for the great troubles of the world and try to join them with the suffering of Christ, committing to his love the many things that we cannot explain or understand. But perhaps we have given too little attention to the goodness and happiness of human life, the many good gifts of God. Concentration on the Cross will strengthen our endurance and out compassion for others. Meditation on the Resurrection will help us to make occasions of thankfulness enter more deeply into our devotions.

            Yet penitence can never be far away; as we become more aware also of our sinfulness and ingratitude. This is why in each of these stations an offering of thanks is followed by an acknowledgement of sin and prayer for help to do better. We need to give our limited minds to consideration at a time but our relationship with is not Contained in closed compartments. All prayer – adoration, thanksgiving, penitence petition and intercession - is gathers in the Resurrection faith: “Christ is risen: He is risen indeed.”