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VIA LUCIS – The Way of Light
For the last fifteen days we have traveled on the VIa Crucis – The Way of The Cross. Starting today we will take the next few days and walk the Via Lucis and visit The Stations of the Resurrection. These Stations were inspired by an ancient 3rd Century inscription found on a wall of the San Callisto Catacombs on the Appian Way in Rome. The inscription was part of 1st Corinthians 15:3-9 (The Message) written by Paul to refute that the Resurrection was a myth:
1st Corinthians 15:3-9 The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says; that he presented himself alive to Peter, then to his closest followers, and later to more than five hundred of his followers all at the same time, most of them still around (although a few have since died); that he then spent time with James and the rest of those he commissioned to represent him; and that he finally presented himself alive to me. It was fitting that I bring up the rear. I don’t deserve to be included in that inner circle, as you well know, having spent all those early years trying my best to stamp God’s church right out of existence.
The catacombs were forgotten by the 8th Century and only rediscovered in the 1820’s along with evidence that early Christians were celebrating post-Easter in similar fashion as they did for Lent, with meditations at “Stations”, each one presenting stories of the Resurrection. Finally, in the late 1990’s several Catholic dioceses and some Protestants began to develop the litany of the Via Lucis to move beyond the Lenten season to contemplate and live in the Light of the Resurrection of our Lord.
Too many times, my celebration and contemplation of the Resurrection ends on Easter evening with the last bite of a chocolate Easter Bunny. As I walk through these next few days I hope I can move beyond celebrating Easter as a holiday season and celebrate by being a witness to His Resurrection every day. So, with that too-long of an introduction,here is Station 1 of the Via Lucis:
Via Lucis – First Station – Jesus Rises from the dead.
The angel of the Lord said to the women: ‘Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for He has been raised just as He said. (Matthew 28: 5b-6a).(NIV)
There are two witnesses to The Resurrection we often forget to talk about, and they are the most important and convincing of all. The first witness to the Resurrection was Jesus Himself. Think about that. Keep thinking. A little more. Patience, you are almost there. You got that. The most important witness to the Resurrection is Jesus, I mean it was His Resurrection and He appeared to over 500 other folks before his Ascension (1 Corinthians 15:6). Then the next most important witness to the Resurrection is YOU.
If you have put your faith in the Risen Lord, if you encounter Him daily, if you have seen Him transform your soul, experienced His care for you, answered your prayers, felt His love, you are a witness. If He has forgiven you and freed you from the guilt of sin, if you have known His comfort, His presence, then please tell me, what other proof do you need? ” He has been raised from the dead, just as He said.” Moreover, if you know Jesus, you have been and will be resurrected as well. Paul tells us this about our witness:
Ephesians 2:5-6 (The Message) He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.
The angel at the tomb, the women coming for an embalming, all the others who encountered the Risen Jesus are not Easter’s the case-in-chief, no, the primary witness is the Lord Jesus Christ. After His testimony, the story of your own encounter with the Risen Lord Jesus is just as powerful as Mary’s, as Thomas’, as Peter’s and Paul’s. Your witness to the Resurrection is no different or of less importance than all those others who have experienced and trusted in our Risen Lord. Indeed, Write down your witness and live it every day. Now, run and tell others who need to know – HE IS RISEN, for He has finally presented himself alive to me and you.
He is Risen Indeed. Peace. Phil Parsons