Evening star., 1949-04-17
Euster, 1949

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Mary the Mother of James, and Salome
coming to the sepulchre when the sabbath
was past and finding "a young man sitting
on the right side" and the tomb otherwise
| empty, were "affrighted." Even after the
angel had instructed them to tell His
| disciples and Peter that He goeth before
you into Galilee." they "trembled and were
amazed: Neither said they any thing 80
| for they were afraid" Thus the first living
persons to learn Of the miracle Of the
Resurrection were troubled by it. Nearly
two thousand years later the element of
doubt and bewilderment still attaches to
the story. ~Multitudes find it difficult to
believe, not merely as a factual account
but because of its tremendous implications.
Death seems so final. A little child from
whom life has departed appears so terribly
bereft that even casual stranger passing
by, must feel shocked by the disaster.
There are times-and this present age Is
one of them-when all the resources of
stalwart, unwavering faith are demanded
of the average individual. Human existence
is challenged by all manner Of hostile
circumstances. We survive on veritable
razor ledge of accident which, we realize,
may be snatched away at any moment.
But it also was so in the age to which
Christ particularly belonged. He, too, dwelt
in this Earth in an era Of turmoil and
dissension. Evil forces, then as now, threat
ened civilization with destruction. He was
himself prophet Of tremendous convul-
sions. When He was slain and hanged on
a tree, as St. Peter witnessed, few indeed
of His followers were confident that He
could and would triumph over the grave.
The disciples on the road to Emmaus in
the Gospel Of st. Luke did not know Him
when they saw Him. He vanished when
their eyes were opened" by His breaking
of bread.
Living generations receive the news of
the first Easter very'much as Simon Peter
and Thomas did. The modern world needs
a victory over Illustration apd suffering,
disappointment and sorrow, and we con-
ceivably might find 1t in the mystic con-
quest accomplished by the Saviour over
His fate. But, the achievement is not easy.
st. Paul in his first communication to the
Corinthians explained the spiritual re-
quirementS when he wrote: Christ OUR
Passover is sacrificed for US: Therefore
let us keep the feast, not with old leaven,
neither with the leaven Of malice and
wickedness; but with the unleavened bread
of sincerity and truth"
Here is guidance that any man may
heed, If he will. Common experience
teaches us that survival depends in large
part upon character The wages of sin
truly are death. On the other hand, there
is an obvious relation between honorable
behavior and Justification Of the privilege
of living. The great contest of our era
is one in which materialism is arrayed
against Christian idealism, Selfishness
against mutuality and brotherhood. If
the latter FAIL the reason will be that
they have not been maintained in practice
by humanity educated by catastrophe to
value them adequately. Easter this years
is an occasion for trembling as much as
the earliest Easter was, but we have less
cause to be amazed and more to be en-
couraged to an ardent, constructive faith.