I saw a short movie this weekend which was produced in the Czech Republic. It is called “Most”, which means bridge in Czech and is based on the true story of John Griffith, a young man in his prime during the 1920’s. He was newly married and full of optimism. Along with his lovely wife, he had been blessed with a beautiful baby. He was living the American dream. But then came 1929—the Great Depression, which devastated the American economy and John’s ambitions. In order to care for his young family, he was forced take a low-paying job operating one of the massive railroad bridges spanning the Mississippi River.
Each day, John would sit at the controls of the drawbridge and make sure the bridge was raised for river traffic, like barges and steamboats. He would lower bridge for the many trains that would cross on their exact schedules, carrying freight and passengers. This sort of monotonous job would have been meaningless and unfulfilling if it wasn’t serving a greater purpose.
This greater purpose was providing for John’s family, especially his eight year-old son, Greg. The pain of the Great Depression was slowly starting to fade and now the hope of a new life, a life in which his young son, would someday work alongside him, was something that helped him make it through the boredom of his work. One day, John invited his son to spend a day with him, working on the bridge. Greg looked on in wide-eyed amazement as his Dad pressed down the huge lever that raised and lowered the vast bridge. He marveled that his Dad could so easily control the movements of such an incredible structure.
Before they knew it, it was time for lunch. They crossed over the catwalks onto the observation deck of the bridge and ate lunch. Greg’s father was telling him all sorts of exciting stories about the trains and ships that passed by every day.
Suddenly a train whistle destroyed the peace of the moment. John had lost track of time and had to hurry to lower the bridge for the train to pass safely. He told his son to stay put on the catwalk while he set the bridge in motion. As long as Greg stayed where he was, he was safe. When John reached the control room he checked the river for any ships and looked down one more time at the catwalk, expecting to see Greg right where he had left him.
But something had gone terribly wrong. Instead of staying where his father told him, Greg had tried to follow his father back to the control room. Along the way he had fallen off the catwalk and into the mechanism that moved the bridge. He could not free himself without help, and John could not get to him and return to control room in time to lower the bridge.
This was a terrible quandary: either save his injured son from the mechanical teeth of the bridge or sacrifice his son to save 400 people on a train that was flying towards a raised bridge, oblivious to this awful situation. After looking at his son, then the incoming train, then back to his son and then the train, John made the heartbreaking choice to save the 400 on the train. He pulled the lever and the bridge lowered, taking the life of his beloved son. John’s anguish intensified as the train passed the control room and he saw the passengers laughing, napping, oblivious to his loss the sacrifice of his son Greg. Almost more painful than his son’s death was the thought that, for many on the train, this ultimate sacrifice would be unknown and meaningless.
We have just finished seven intense days, Holy Week we call it, in which the most profound sacrifice, that of the Divine Father and His Divine Son, took place. We have just relived the betrayal of Jesus on Wednesday, the Last Supper and agony in the garden on Thursday, the horrific and brutal death on Friday, the stillness, emptiness and grieving on Saturday. But then the lifeless Son rose anew on Sunday, the one we call Easter, the one that has brought us here today in all of our finery, because we are spiritually rejoicing over the opportunity for the newness of life. We are all, or at least should be, grateful because Jesus,,,, who bore our infirmities, demonstrates that death is no longer the final word. This is the gospel, the good news indeed, and alleluia is the only response. This celebration, which began with the Easter vigil last night, will continue unbroken for the next fifty days, as we try to absorb a life-changing truth: death has been defeated, sin has lost its sting, Jesus’ grave is now empty.
The price of this victory wasn’t cheap. It cost a father his son; as a matter of fact, it cost our heavenly Father his Perfect Son! As we gather today on this Easter Sunday and every day of this Easter season, we should thank Him for allowing His only begotten Son to become man, to suffer and to die for our sins. We should adore Him for the new life we have, that the despair of death and grave has now been transformed by the power of Christ’s resurrection.
This truth should change our lives! Humanity no longer has to be defined by its limits and failings. You and I are now adopted sons and daughters of God. We are meant to live forever with our Heavenly Father in heaven. Death is no longer the end; it is the beginning of eternal life for those who believe in Christ.This is the truth proclaimed by Easter, this is the good news we celebrate this morning and every Sunday throughout the year. We are free, we are alive, we have been given a divine power over sin and death.
So let us celebrate this divine life. Let’s not be oblivious to the Father’s sacrifice! Do not allow this supreme act of love be meaningless or forgotten! May we allow it to transform our daily living, making us live not for ourselves or the things of this world but rather for others and for God. Let us set aside our sinful ways and never forget that before time began, a father looked at his only begotten Son and knew that he would have to die so all might live. Don’t let a day go by without thanking God for this Easter gift. Amen, Alleluia.
