BUT  IF?

 

The title of my homily for this  23 Friday in Ordinary Time  is a question  - a short two word question – a throw away mantra – entitled – “But if?” and to use it in many conversations.

But if …. That’s it. To use that - and say that - in many situations. “But if?

For example:: But if Christ did not rise from the dead, then that’s it.

Might as well pack up and toss all our hopes, all our assumptions, into the ocean and at some point die – because that’s it. That’s all folks.

But if Christ rises from the dead – then that’s it – that’s all. We win. We live forever.

If – the word appears 7 times in today’s first reading – in both the Greek – with the short 2 letter word EI – and the English translation of EI is also a two letter word: IF.

Paul in today’s first reading – 1 Corinthians 15: 12-20 – sums it all up with just those 2 words: BUT IF – without using the word “BUT”.

But if we read today’s 1^st reading carefully, then we get the but – and the if.

Come to think about if: we’re living our whole lives on that one word if. If we unpack it – and see it – and reflect upon it, if contains all life’s implications – that is if we ask life’s questions.

Paul gives us his 7 if’s in today’s first reading – starting with: “If Christ is not raised from the dead, then we are not raised when we die.

But if Christ is raised the dead – then our preaching  - then our faith – then all the testimony  - about Christ – rising from the dead – is a relief. It changes everything.

But if – we don’t buy it – then as Paul puts it – we fall asleep and perish forever.

But if – by faith  - we believe Christ has been raised – then we can be a we that also rises  – because of Christ.

I was wondering last night when I read this reading, why I don’t remember using it at funerals. I will from now on.

Conclusion: Take your rosary and  say 59 times – “But if” -  on each bead and see where that takes you. Amen.