“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:17
Our claim is not a small one. Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. We proclaim it every week at Mass when we say the Creed. It is the basis of our faith as Christians… but does it really change how we live our lives?
So much of my life is absorbed in ordinary routines…making coffee, checking Facebook, putting gas in the car, changing diapers. Sometimes, though, the outside world casts its shadow over me and I feel the tension between how I live every day and what is going on everywhere else.
There is so much darkness in the world right now. Wars. Persecution. Famine. Loneliness. Desperation. Homelessness.
When the darkness outside the bubble of my everyday seems too much to bear, I’m tempted to try to shut it out. The suffering makes me feel powerless - how can I do anything to help?
At times like these, I need to remember the outrageous claim we all make every week when we say that Jesus rose from the dead. His resurrection wasn’t just a victory over death - it completely reoriented reality. Death and suffering no longer have the final word, because Christ is risen. Alleluia!
This claim is more than just a belief or a tenet of our faith. By calling ourselves Christians, we accept the resurrection not just as truth but as our identity. Christ risen is not just what we believe - it is who we are. We proclaim it not just with our words, but with our whole lives. Resurrection defines us and claims us for the Light. With the light of the resurrection at our core, we can see suffering and death as temporary, because we know that Christ has claimed victory over them.
What does this mean for us?
It means we should carry the light inside us out into the world.
It means we cannot afford to be overcome by evil.
It means we must not sit down and let suffering have the last word.
Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, ESV). When we proclaim the risen Christ, we are charged with the vocation of hope. Let us find ways to remind ourselves and those around us that darkness doesn’t win. All it takes to keep the darkness from overtaking us is one, tiny light.
Abbey Dupuy is a freelance writer and homeschooling mama to two-year-old twins, a first grader and a new baby. You can find out more about her here.
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