Holy Chaos Wrapped in Grace

4.20.2025

Easter Sunday

[Texts]

Acts 10:34-43 God raised Jesus on the third day

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

1 Corinthians 15:19-26 Christ raised from the dead, the first fruits

Gospel: Luke 24:1-12 The women proclaim the resurrection

Easter Sunday Blessings to you!

How did you wake up this morning on this glorious Easter Sunday? I don’t mean the usual rising from sleep but awakening from 40 days of Lent and the highs and lows of the roller-coaster journey through Holy Week. How might you answer if asked?

Perhaps some of us awoke with a shock, as if someone had unexpectedly turned on a light in the darkness of early morning or an alarm had gone off louder than usual. That could be how the disciples who witnessed Jesus’ death with their own eyes had felt, overwhelmed by the weight of sorrow, unable to connect all the pieces. Similarly, some of us are still processing what Easter Sunday truly means in our lives, whether in general or in 2025.

Others may have awakened naturally to the fresh air drifting through a slightly open window, welcoming the morning and enjoying the sunlight warming their faces and the cheerful sound of birds chirping. This could be how the disciples felt about Easter Sunday, as we read in the book of Acts. It was part of their life rhythm. Each day to the Christian community is a life-giving miracle while facing persecution. It is a day the Lord has made, a day to rejoice and be glad, as expressed in Psalm 118.

No matter how each of us greeted the morning, we find ourselves wrapped in God’s grace as we proclaim with joy:

“Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!”

But to whom do we proclaim this truth? To ourselves? To the gathered assembly of worshippers? To the world whether they know God or not? Or to God, the One who delivers us from the grip of death? And what kind of death is it?

It is the kind of death we cannot bear to face alone, the one that exposes all our sins with no way out. It’s like a snowball effect: one hurt after another, whether intentional or not, fractures our relationships, pushing us further apart. That kind of brokenness makes us question trust itself, leaving us hesitant to reach out, afraid of more wounds.

Look at this bowl. It is broken with a single strike. It was a gift from my daughter to my husband. The story remains, but it becomes useless. Sometimes, how we treat each precious life including our own isn’t as compassionate as God’s. One more strike to this broken bowl doesn’t make much difference. We might eventually toss it away. But God sees each life differently.

Now, look at this one. It bears multiple fractures, yet remains held together. Each of our lives like this one is wrapped in God’s grace. Without God, life is messy and chaotic. But with God, we don’t need to fear the weight of death, for we are like restored vessels.

A restored vessel has the capacity to hold the power of God’s healing, making us whole. Imagine the resurrection light shining through those cracks. It's beautiful, isn’t it? It’s not just beautiful; the light shining through is meant to create a healing space, something the world needs most now.

Such a life is holy. It is a beautifully messy chaos embraced by grace. That is what Easter is about.

There is a thin line between treasuring and wasting. Have you ever bought or collected something precious, yet hesitated to use it, fearing it might wear out or break? These items may be considered treasures. But if they serve only as decoration or are never used, they become waste. When an item isn’t used as it was designed for, it is useless just as a broken vessel. However, the value of the item increases while being used over and over again.

The same is true of our new life in Christ. Its value increases when it is lived fully and used for its purpose again and again. That is the legacy we pass on to future generations. That is the treasure we accumulate in this earthly life, carrying it with us to our heavenly home.

The Good News for today is that new life in Christ is GOOD, as God declared when He first created humanity.

What is your story of the life you have received by grace through faith, a valuable life that has been used again and again?

A holy chaos wrapped in God’s grace is beautiful. That is why we celebrate. As the angel said in Luke 24:5, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Let us hold onto the same conviction found in the words of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:26: “The last enemy, death, has been destroyed by Christ.”

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Thanks be to God. Amen.