Jubilate, the Third Sunday after Easter

Today's Gospel considers the passage of time: "a little while . . . a little while." Time is a great thief. It steals our carefree, playful childhood and leaves us only with memories. It takes away our loved ones; it robs us of our health and happiness. We go through the years and decades of life losing more and more, and drawing ever nearer to our own demise. But the resurrection of our Lord means victory over all our enemies, as today's Introit declares. One of these enemies is the passage of time. In Christ we have a good end to expect: resurrection. The passage of time is nothing to fear. We are, as St. Peter declares in today's Epistle, on pilgrimmage. We tend not toward the grave, but toward life and salvation. The sermon.