In a world characterised by lust for power, Christ did not show or parade his power, though he could, but he humbled himself for fulfilling the holy will of God.***

CHRISTIANS all over the world celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday. God vindicated and glorified His Son by raising him from the dead. Christ glorified God in

his obedience to His will for the salvation of man from sin. Jesus said before his death by crucifixion: "Nowis the Son ofMan glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, then God will glorify the Son in himself, and glorify him at once. (John 13:31-32)."

The humiliating death and the glorious resurrection of Christ are the two sides of the same coin. One propitiated and satisfied the demand of divine justice and the other vindicated and glorified innocent and vicarious sufferings. Both were preplanned and uniquely central to God's drama of human salvation.

In a world characterised by lust for power, Christ did not show or parade his power, though he could, but he humbled himself for fulfilling the holy will of God. People in authority and position like to show off their power. The ancient Greek philosopher, Sophocles, rightly said: "But hard as it is to learn the mind of any mortal, or the heart, till he is tried in chief authority. Power shows the man."

Resurrection testified to the deify of Christ; it is the seal of our having been justified before God since Christ has conquered death, which is the wage of sin. Through it, God and man are reconciled. This truth cannot remain as mere dogma. This needs to be real life experience. The message of the resurrection should renew the believer's life altogether. Christ's holy life, his teaching, and his selfless love for people are of supreme didactic value in our life. This is true for all who truly believe in, and take their commitment to, Christ seriously and pattern their lives on his.

Much of Jesus' teachings were against the ritualistic worship and lip-service of the hypocritical religious teachers of his time. So he quoted them God's utterance from the Old Testament: "These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men (Matthew 15:8-9)."

Today, human society is experiencing erosion of human and ethical values, and the values of genuine and sacrificial love and care for others. St. Paul, the greatest exponent of Christianity, wrote to the Romans: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2)." We have thus a challenge for a commitment of total life. This involves our body, social relationships, mind and spiritual life. Christianity is a holistic faith encompassing the whole of life.

The Resurrection is celebration, but primarily with a challenge for positive change and renewal of our lives and relationships. It confronts us with the call to death-to-selfand following a new kind of life to live in a right relationship with others and with God. Christ did not teach complicated tenets and formula of religion. He taught "love God with all that we have and also love your neighbour and other people."

We need to change our selfish ways, repent for our sins and turn to God. Today, human civilisation is faced with a real crisis resulting from debilitating erosion of moral and spiritual values. Sins have bound man's mind and will. Where is the way out? Only a change of heart, mind and will is the answer. No amount of scientific advancement, no good deeds, no human development will sustain and create peace for the restless soul of man. We need to seriously ask the question today: "WhatiswrongwithMan?"

Today, all sensible people need to be serious about what faith in God implies in practical life and conduct. These words of James are pertinent: "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that batde within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you don't have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (New Testament, James4: 1-3)."

How true are these old admonitions! Let the resurrection challenge us. Let us change, and then change! Christianity is a belief not only to be believed, but also a life to be lived.

Reverend Martin Adhikary is Director, Advocacy & Promotion of Leprosy Mission, Bangladesh.