So, what do you think of when you hear the words “eternal life”? We hear these words quite often in religious circles, and especially during Easter Season. I would bet for most folks that phrase conjures up ideas and images of “life after death” or “going to heaven” (instead of hell!). After all, Jesus conquered death, and if we are Christian, and we behave then, we say, then we’ll conquer death too and live forever and ever in heaven.
While that is, perhaps, true it is also quite a shame to limit “eternal life” to that! Because when Jesus and the authors of the New Testament write of “eternal life,” they are speaking of something much richer and deeper than simply life after death or going to heaven—as wonderful as those things are.
Brian McLaren points out in his book We Make the Road by Walking, that “eternal life” is literally translated life of the ages. He goes on to say this: “My suspicion is that ‘true aliveness’ is a good contemporary translation of the term. . .eternal life points to an excelling quality, intensity, expansiveness, meaningfulness, fruitfulness, and depth of life.”
And maybe what is most important is that this “true aliveness, expansiveness, depth of life,” isn’t limited to after we die. It is a life that begins now! Jesus tells us that when we follow him and when we receive his Spirit, we have entered eternal life! We have entered God’s own life and God’s way of living. We are equipped with God’s own life to make our own life more like God’s: kinder and more compassionate, more life-giving, more creative, more forgiving. In other words, we are truly alive.
In our world’s present predicament, don’t we need people who are living with a true depth to their lives? People whose hearts are ever more expansive—open and welcoming and respectful of others because they see “the other” as a fellow human being, even a brother or sister of the same Loving Father. Better yet, they see the “other” as God sees them.
With all the divisiveness tearing apart our Church and our country, isn’t it refreshing and hopeful to find people who not only refrain from the inclination to reduce everyone to and “us” or a “them” but also actively pursue mutual respect and understanding among all peoples? In a world that is so ready to tear down, isn’t it wonderful to find people who are creatively building up?
Those who are living this way are right here and now participating in eternal life. They are sharing in God’s own life and letting God’s Spirt live in them and through them out into our world.
So, friends, as we continue our Easter Celebration let’s remember that Jesus promise of eternal life begins now. We don’t have to wait til after we die. We certainly don’t have to wait til the next life to be kind, forgiving, welcoming, generous. We don’t have to wait til after we’re dead to be like Jesus. As Francis DeSales said, “Vive Jesu!” Live Jesus! Yes, live Jesus today. Live him tomorrow. Live him everyday. Live Love—forever and ever. Amen!