I’ve always enjoyed history. As a young grade-schooler, the Civil War was my favorite. Our family would vacation in Kentucky and the tourist traps would be full of Civil War stuff just ripe for the pickings of a young one like me. In Middle School, I focused more on World War II. I remember playing army with my friends in the neighborhood and using my dad’s WWII artifacts as props; Flags of both sides flying from the porch, Wearing German or US helmets & other gear, Weilding German Daggers, even throwing a practice hand grenade. Great memories.

Even though I grew up Catholic, the whole religion thing just wasn’t much for me. I attended a Catholic grade school and had to go to mass many mornings but would have been classified as an A.D.D kid back then as it didn’t hold my attention. I’d skip Church on Sundays and go to the local soda shop for a coke; Didn’t always have time for my catechism classes, basically, not a model Catholic.

During my High School years, I wasn’t much better. Then in 1971, a popular musical hit the airwaves which piqued my interest, ‘Jesus Christ, Superstar’. The music was probably considered irreverent by most, but I was fortunate to have a Nun in our church that organized a youth study night to listen and analyze the Rock Opera. This musical history of Jesus, the way his story was told in a different medium touched me in such a way that I needed to learn more. Actually, it changed my life.

For most people, the story of Jesus is all about religion and the belief in God. For me, it’s more historical, probably because of my analytical nature. Just like any other figure in our past; King Tut, Caesar, Churchill, Kennedy, we rely on historians who either had a first-hand account or have researched their subjects and written books to tell us how they lived and what they accomplished. I’m not a big reader, but some of my favorite authors are: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

So why did these men decide to write about Jesus? Did they just get together one day and plan a scheme to trick the world into believing this man existed? No, they had what is known as an  “Impact Event” – – an incident so shocking it has the power to change not just what we think but the way we think . . . about everything. In our lifetime, 9/11 would be considered an “Impact Event”. It changed the way we now think.

Those four authors had an “Impact Event”. Three days after they buried the man they had been with for 3 years; the man they saw do miracles; the man whose knowledge surpassed any they had ever know; three days after he was brutally put to death, this man rose from the dead. An “Impact Event” if there ever was one. So they did what you would you do, write it all down to the best of your memory, and the historical record of Jesus was created.

So on this Easter day as you celebrate that man who rose from the dead, think how that “Impact Event” has changed your life and the way you think about everything. And, the next time you find yourself in the midst of someone who doubts the existence of Jesus, ask them if they like history. If they do, you might just suggest this history buffs favorite authors to them.

And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
1 Corinthians 15:14

Happy Easter to all our friends and family
He has risen!