Nevertheless, although they have both run to the tomb and both enter it, Peter enters first, and John only enters after him. For if Peter symbolizes faith, then John signifies the intellect. Therefore, since it is written, "Unless you believe you will not understand," faith necessarily enters first into the tomb of Holy Scripture, followed by the intellect, for which faith has prepared the entry.

  - Eriugena, Homily on John 1.1-14 (Irish, 9th century)

And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen."

  - Luke 24.5, 6

Those who first experienced the resurrection of Jesus Christ must have thought they were dreaming. They'd seen Jesus raise the dead, but they had not been able to grasp the idea that He would raise Himself.

Yet here they were, in front of an empty tomb. Suddenly, all the tumblers in their mind, all the memories of Scriptures learned and lessons taught, all the very pointed teachings of Jesus about this moment - all this must have begun falling slowly but wondrously into place.

Eriugena employed an allegorical interpretation of John's account of the resurrection to make a valid point. The resurrection of Jesus is beyond what our minds can process. It is outside the bounds of reason. It does not fit the explanations of science or human experience.

But it is true; it really happened. And as a result, Jesus is no longer in that dark tomb. He is risen.

He is now here.

We believe in the resurrection as God grants us the faith to believe. The slightest measure of faith is enough to open the way for understanding to follow, so that faith is validated and increased as intellect follows faith's lead and makes sense out of what otherwise seems altogether unlikely.

We live in the age of the resurrection. Jesus reigns at the Father's right hand, but He is here with us always, even to the end of the age. He upholds the universe and all things in it by the Word of His power, but He indwells us by the power of His Spirit, and is making all things new.

We believe that Jesus "was crucified, dead, and was buried; on the third day, He rose again from the dead." And believing that sets our minds free from the limitations of sinful ignorance and unbelief, so that we see our lives, our world, and our reason for being in an altogether different life.

He is now here, and we are now His.

And He will glorify Himself through all who believe in His resurrection and live in His resurrection power.

Let faith lead you into new depths of understanding, and a greater experience of the risen and with-us Christ. May the power of Christ's resurrection fill you anew this Easter Sunday so that the reality of Jesus, here and now, may be known through all the everyday details and activities of your life.

T. M. Moore, Principal

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