Many
years ago, I was shopping in a drugstore for an Easter Card to send to my
Mom. I was hoping to find just the right
card for her, and at that point of the week, there was still quite a
selection. They had Easter cards in
several categories – with little markers to identify them:
Easter
-- Humorous
Easter
-- Child
Easter
– Grandparent
Easter
– Friend
And
then I saw it. I had to read it twice to make sure of what I was
seeing. Yep, there it was, one of those
little markers, big as life, with the words, “Easter – Religious” written on it……
And
that’s when it hit me – have the people at Hallmark and Wal-Mart begun to take over
Easter in much the same way they've tried to co-opt Christmas? Is it their hope that Easter will become just
as big a financial boon for corporate America
Thankfully,
the church has had an “ally” in its fight to get the true meaning of Christmas
out -- Dr. Suess. Dr. Suess’ “How the
Grinch Stole Christmas” has been a great way for many to hear that
the true meaning of Christmas isn’t to be found in all the crass commercialism
that is so abundant at that time of the year.
And that’s when I decided maybe we needed a “Dr. Suess story” for
Easter, but since Theodore Geisel had died the year before, I decided to take
on the job myself. So, more than a few years ago,
and with apologies to Dr. Suess, I offered the following sermon -- the story
of:
"How the Grinch Nearly
Stole Easter"
Every
Who down in Who-ville liked Easter a lot!
But
the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville,
DID NOT!!!
The
Grinch hated Easter! The whole Easter
season.
Now,
please don't ask why. No one quite knows
the reason.
For
Easter, you see, requires some believing.
And
that's hard if your life has been filled with great grieving.
And that was the case for Mr. Grinch, it was said.
His
life had been filled with fear and with dread.
Fear
and dread that when his miserable life would be over
he'd
be buried in a box, just buried under some clover.
And
what would come later -- what would come after?
The
Grinch was convinced there would be no joy or laughter.
But
the Whos down in Who-ville, had faith and belief,
and
this fact alone caused the Grinch even MORE grief.
The
Whos believed that the dead would
arise --
Some
they said had seen it with their own eyes!
That
Christ, who had been hung on a tree
was
made alive again, for all to see.
"Nonsense,"
said the Grinch, with a smirk that was evil,
"Who
could believe such an impossible fable?"
And to make matters worse, if worse they could be:
The
Whos offered their faith for others
to see.
Those
Whos, he knew, would be gathering
soon
well
before evening, well before noon.
They'd
gather in fact, at the crack of dawn,
before
most people even have time to yawn.
They'd
gather to sing, their songs of Easter Joy.
Songs
the Grinch knew would surely annoy.
"Christ is Risen! Risen Indeed!" He would
mutter.
To
believe that, your mind would have to be full of -- peanut butter!
The
more the Grinch thought of their bright morning singing
the
more he was sure it would be his undoing.
"I'll
stop it this year, by hook or by crook!"
"I'll
stop it," he said, with a frightening look.
"I'll
not have their singing ringing again in my ears --
After
all, it's been nearly two thousand years!"
"I'll
show those Whos what Easter's really
about."
"I'll
show them that Easter isn't celebrated with a shout!"
"Christ
is Risen! Risen Indeed! "
"I'll
give them a belief they really will need!"
"I'll get them to believe in bunnies and bonnets
and
candy and colored eggs and cards that have sonnets."
"And
soon they'll forget this Christ who has risen.
Soon
they'll forget the hope of this season."
"I'll
load up my wagon with all kinds of treats
And
bring them to Who-ville to give out
in the streets."
"I'll
do it before their songs of praise
ring out
to
their God they have said they never will doubt."
"They'll
doubt, they'll forget, once they see my surprises
once
they see that Easter is about getting prizes."
And
so, off he went, to do his level best
to
wake those Whos from their their
Easter Eve rest.
"Free
candy!" he shouted, as he entered their town.
"Free
candy to any and all who come down!"
"Free
candy to those who choose not to
sing!
"But
free candy for you is not all that I bring!"
"I've
got baskets and bonnets and eggs colored red.
Come
on, you Whos -- get out of your
bed!"
"Get out of your bed -- but not to stand in the cold
And
sing songs of praise like those Whos
of old."
"Get
our of your bed and receive your fill of candy
And
I'll show you that Easter is really quite dandy."
"It's
not about God's love and faith and peace,
it's
not about forgiveness and pardon and release."
"It's
not about joy and hope beyond reason,
it's
not about life beyond death and resurrection"
"It's
all about candy and bunnies and bonnets,
It's
about colored eggs and cards that have sonnets."
"No
it's not!" said one Who, who
came down from her bed.
"No
it's not!" she said, with sleep still in her head.
"Easter's
not about candy," said Cindy Lou Who.
"It's
all about God's love, for me and for you.
A
love that was willing to risk even death
So
that we will be comforted at our last breath.
For
God loves us so, that he gave his own Son
That
a victory over death would finally be won."
"That's what Easter's about, you silly old Grinch,
I'm
surprised you didn't know that, it's really a cinch.”
“And
because I'm so sure,” said Cindy Lou Who,
“I'm
willing to risk telling all of this to you.
You,
who laugh and scoff and wish to make fun
of
those who trust and believe in God's Son.
Because
this story, this hope, this great, grand, good news
is
meant to be shared -- it isn't just for the Whos."
"That's
why we sing our songs of great joy
We
don't mean to offend, or dismay, or annoy.
It's
just that our hearts are so filled with relief
that
God, who knows our fears, has given us belief.
A
belief that death isn't the final defeat --
a
trust that in death it is Christ we will meet.
He'll
meet us not only at the hour of our death
but
each day, each living day, that we draw a breath.
Christ
meets us in those who reach out with love
to
remind us of the home that's prepared for us above."
"To give us the confidence to risk loving others
To
live with Christ as sisters and brothers.
To
give of our time and talents and treasure
because
God has given to us without measure.
Mr.
Grinch, you can keep all the candy you've brought along
We
Whos will still choose to gather in
song.
To
sing "Jesus Christ is risen today"
and
thank God all our fears have been allayed.
In
fact, please join us -- it would give us great joy
if
you think my inviting you doesn't annoy."
And
what happened then....? Well, in Who-ville they say
That
the Grinch's small heart grew three times that day.
The
story is told how his heart swelled that morn
when
old Mr. Grinch was for a second time born.
And
the minute his heart didn't feel quite so tight,
he
wondered as he looked at the early dawn's light.
He
could see in his mind the stone rolled away
as
surely as he saw the light of that new day.
And
suddenly he knew the true meaning of Easter.
Christ's
dying and rising was at the heart of the matter.
It
wasn't about candy and bunnies and bonnets;
Not
colored eggs and cards that have sonnets.
The
Grinch knew himself the joy of this season
and
with all of the Whos, shouted out: "CHRIST IS RISEN!!!"
The End.
Not really -- we get to take the story of Easter from here.
Pax,
Bp.
Mark
