Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

Christ is risen, Alleluia!  This astounding reality changes everything.  Yes, Jesus our Master, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Brother has passed through death, has broken its shackles and created a bridge to heaven.  But the reality of the resurrection is much more than that, for if we have been grafted into Christ's body through our baptism, if we remain there through faith and obedience, then we shall rise again too.  Christ's resurrection is our resurrection, Christ's victory is our victory.  We may boast in this!  It is impossible that the head should rise and leave the body behind.  Therefore, "because I live, you also will live."  How can this be, Lord?  "When it happens, you will know that you are in me and I am in you."  Because we are in Jesus we arise with Jesus.  Such is the union our God has achieved with us.  What god exists on the earth which seeks out its worshiper, achieves perfect union with him and carries him to heaven in his bosom?  Only Jesus Christ has done this, for he is true God and true man.  Only he has told us to call him both God and brother.  Because he is God he has the power to lay down his life and take it up again.  Because he is man we are united to him in his humanity, our nature is taken up into his and "because he lives, we also will live."  The branches united to the vine are taken up into paradise.  Death has no more power over us now than it does our head.  Head came to earth, united to body by becoming incarnate in Mary's womb, spilled its blood as a sacrificial atonement in our place to fulfill the ancient prophecies, laid down its life by its own volition, and on the third day cracked the ancient seal of death - man's punishment for sin - set us "as a seal on his heart" and lifted us up into the very heights of heaven.  This is the resurrection.  This is Jesus Christ, the head, the vine.  How can one speak of the head without considering the body?  How does one look upon the vine but not see the branches?  Thus out of a sheer act of will Christ has forever united us to himself.  Wherever the shepherd is now, there the sheep.  Where the head, there the body.  The head is deep inside the mystery of the Father, thus too the body.  "You will know the head is in the Father," Jesus said.  He said we will also know that "we are in him and he is in us."  This is the love Jesus has for us.  This is the mission the Father sent the Son on.  "Quickly my beloved Son, go and retrieve the best of my lost creation.  Do not bring them back into the earthly garden but bring them into the sealed garden of the Trinity itself.  Bring out a robe - the best one - and put it on them.  Put a ring on their fingers and sandals on their feet.  You, my Son, become that robe, that ring, those sandals."  (See Luke 15.22)  This is the kind of God we have.  This is what he has done.  Do you believe it?