Escape from Death

        Friends in Christ, when I was young, I enjoyed reading about the Great Houdini, maybe you’ve heard of him.  He was an escape artist, and he would put himself into incredibly difficult situations from which few people could escape; One of the most famous stunts that he performed 3 different times was called ‘Buried Alive.’ He was buried, without a casket, in a pit of earth six feet deep.  As minutes passed, the nervous crowed would hold their breath, wondering if he would get out of it in time.  On one occasion, as he dug his way up to the surface he nearly didn’t make it. When his hand finally broke through the ground he fell unconscious and had to be pulled from the grave by his assistants.  He wrote in his diary that that escape was “very dangerous.”   Why did he do these things? Because of the excitement and overwhelming surprise people felt when he succeeded.  

        Friends we ourselves will one day be 6 feet under, but our own resurrection will not be dangerous  or require any effort, like that of Houdini.   Here in the Octave of Easter, we are pondering the Lord’s resurrection, which makes possible our own. Jesus will raise us from the dead effortlessly, because for God, all is easy.   

        Sometimes when I am at the graveside for a deceased person, and the casket is being lowered into the ground, and everyone is crying, I have sometimes thought that God is slowly preparing for the greatest day of the world – better than anything Houdini ever did.   

        People die of all kinds of things, sometimes terrible things; sickness, so much sadness and grief. Many feel that they will never see their loved ones again –  in some ways, its like all the worried and fearful people watching the Houdini stunts. But when he emerges safe and sound, everyone cheers and gasps in joy, and they forget all of the worry. The more difficult and fearsome the predicament, the more joyful the surprise is felt when he emerges alive…..  

        Well, this is something like what God is preparing for us;  We question the Lord often: ‘Why Lord? Why this suffering, why death, why this and why that….? But Jesus had told his disciples,’ You are sorrowful now, but you will see me again, and on that day you will rejoice.’ (John 16:22)  

        I think that the day of our resurrection, will be a day of unparalleled surprise, and joy;  and it will take an eternity to thank God for everything.