The Third Sunday of Easter

“I will exalt you, O Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not let my enemies triumph over me.” — Psalm 30:1

St. Augustine said regarding this Psalm that it was… a Psalm of the joy of the Resurrection, and the change, the renewing of the body to an immortal state, and not only of the Lord, but also of the whole Church. For in the former Psalm the tabernacle was finished, wherein we dwell in the time of war: but now the house is dedicated, which will abide in peace everlasting. It is then whole Christ who speaketh. “I will exalt Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up”.

I agree with him. We encounter this Psalm on the third Sunday in the Easter season… it is a Psalm that began to be read differently in light of the resurrection of Christ. The primary question I want to ask this Sunday is who the enemies are? It is my suspicion that we Christians need some better enemies. And the season of Easter helps us to identify with great clarity exactly what those enemies are. With the aid of this Psalm, I want to explore this thought on Sunday: If this Psalm is for us Christians about the resurrection and if this lifting up is the means by which God did not allow the enemies to triumph—what kind of enemies are we talking about?

I hope to see you this Sunday! Peace.