Telling a story

A Sermon preached on April 20 2019, Great Vigil of Easter, at St. Augustine’s, Wiesbaden

There is a late twentieth century school of theology called “narrative theology,” that started at Yale Divinity School. To put it simply, what we believe and who we are as Church has been historically shaped by the continuous, structured, and communal reading of the scriptural narrative over time. So, what we believe therefore comes from the Bible and from tradition, and from how we read scripture, which is theologically, and using different methods – both those that we might consider to be more “reason” based such as the historical-critical method, as well as spiritual, figurative, and allegorical approaches – as the text and context call for. Scripture, tradition, and reason: sounds very Anglican actually.

Now the word narrative can easily be misunderstood. To call scripture a narrative or a story can sound as if we are saying it is made up, a fairytale, or not true. But that is not the case. The word “history,” which is also the source of the word story, originally stood for “learning through research, and narrating what is learned.” Even the Biblical stories that are not strictly factual, like the account of Creation or the Flood, are still true in a deeper sense. They tell us truths about God and about our relationship. God is our creator and has given us the world to look after regardless of whether this took 6 days or millennia. God’s covenant or promise of protection is for every living creature.

Every passage has a meaning but so does the whole narrative. We often refer to the Bible as salvation history. It is the story of how God has genuinely acted in, through and for humanity throughout history, but colored by our perception and experience and context.

Narrative or story is a particularly suitable term on this Holy Night, at the Easter Vigil. We have heard a whole series of passages that tell a story and later, right after we have renewed our Baptismal Vows, we will hear two more, finishing with the story of the discovery of the empty tomb by Jesus’ most faithful followers, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary mother of James and the other women. Yes, no men! But that is another story.

Our night began at the beginning, with Creation when God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness.” This is an ideal we still struggle to live up to, just as we seem to struggle to accept that God was very pleased with what God had made. Our selection of stories covers the Flood, a catastrophic event following great sin and leaving only a faithful remnant, the Liberation from slavery in Egypt, the Exile in Babylon with God’s promises of restoration and renewal through the prophets. What do we hear? Death, destruction, slavery, exile, despair? Or do we hear life, hope and promise? 

For me, it is the story of how every time we fail and fall, God picks us up again, revives us, renews God’s promises to us, and gives us new life. The last, great event in that series, is the one we celebrate this night. That God sent a life to give us life, God sent the Son of Man to show us how to be fully human and divine, that God came to renew the promise to us in person and to take away the power of death. In keeping with the tradition of the Eastern Orthodox churches, I will finish by reading the Easter sermon of John Chrysostom (circa 400 AD). Even now, over 1,600 years later, I can find no better description for what this Easter Night means: 

Are there any who are devout lovers of God?

Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!

Are there any who are grateful servants?

Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting?

Let them now receive their wages!

If any have toiled from the first hour,

let them receive their due reward;

If any have come after the third hour,

let him with gratitude join in the Feast!

And he that arrived after the sixth hour,

let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.

And if any delayed until the ninth hour,

let him not hesitate; but let him come too.

And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,

let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.

For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.

He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,

as well as to him that toiled from the first.

To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.

He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.

The deed He honors and the intention He commends.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!

First and last alike receive your reward;

rich and poor, rejoice together!

Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!

You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,

rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!

Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.

Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith.

Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty,

for the universal kingdom has been revealed.

Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;

for forgiveness has risen from the grave.

Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.

He has destroyed it by enduring it.

He destroyed Hell when He descended into it.

He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.

Isaiah foretold this when he said,

"You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."

Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.

It was in an uproar because it is mocked.

It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.

It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.

It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.

Hell took a body, and discovered God.

It took earth, and encountered Heaven.

It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting?

O Hell, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!

Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!

Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!

Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!

Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;

for Christ having risen from the dead,

is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. 

Amen!