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Dear Friends,
I wonder what your reaction has been to the latest set of scandals facing the Prime Minister and the government over the sale of honours. The allegations of sleaze are everywhere, but I can't quite see why. Most of the hereditary peers obtained their positions in times long since past through doing favours for the crown — anything from lending money to telling lies. And from what I can see of human nature, this will always be the way as long as we poor souls buy into the idea that a Lord, or a Baron, a duchess or a Lady is somehow worthy of more respect than a baker or schoolteacher.
Easter serves as a reminder to us of what should really matter. Our lives, our freedoms and our happiness were not bought with money. Jesus did not turn the whole world upside down by buying his way into respectability. His scorn for such shallow value systems is evident — as he said — "what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world — but then loses his soul".
The ability to see people as they really are, stripped of rank and nobility, is given to us in Christ, who, 'though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty we might become rich.'
Christ bought the right to be called 'Lord' by paying the ultimate price — his life. Instead of currying favour with the authorities he spoke out against the injustices that he saw around him. Instead of behaving like a 'respectable' citizen, and religious leader, he challenged authority, overturned money tables, called the church leaders hypocrites and refused to call anyone — even lepers and prostitutes, unclean or excluded.
He stood for the people of God — and refused to see distinctions where God had not put them. Blessed are the poor, the hungry, the seeker after truth.. but woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you white washed sepulchres, brood of vipers, hypocrites?
The resurrection story is more than the story of how one divine man was returned to life. It is the story of the triumph of real values over petty politics and selfish self-preservation whether of religion or of state. It is the constant reminder to those in authority that you cannot kill the heart of humanity, the desire for peace, for justice and for truth. These things will always come out.. and there is no way of silencing them forever. Three days was all it took for God to free the truth of the real meaning of life from the darkness where fear and hatred, bigotry and violence had laid it.
But whilst those in authority need to be reminded of this — so do we. As long as we continue to rank worldly status, money and power above that of real status and equality before God, people will continue to be tempted to hide the truth, deceive the people and, where necessary, exclude the marginalised for the sake of it.
As we celebrate Easter together this year, I pray that we might celebrate the resurrection of our own faith, our belief in all human potential as exemplified in Christ.
There can be no greater honour than knowing that you are a child of God — that was the honour that was bought for us. No king can bestow it, no honours list will own it, but we can KNOW it and change the world by believing in it and living up to it.
The Easter proclamation 'Christ is alive' — means that so is everything that he stood for — Alleluia!
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