Archbishop’s Easter Message 2011

Anglican Diocese of Sydney

2011 Easter Message

 

People talk glibly about ‘death with dignity’. I can take the idea of a heroic death, a quiet death, an early death, even at a stretch a peaceful death – but ‘death with dignity’ just seems like a cover up, like wishful thinking.
There is nothing dignified about the pain, helplessness, loss and anxiety of death. It is undignified. It takes God’s noble, glorious creation of a human being and turns us back to dust. It strips us of achievements, history, honours, dignity and relationships and destroys our bodies.

By way of undignified deaths I can scarcely think of a worse case than crucifixion. It was capital punishment designed to humiliate and intimidate. When God became man and joined us, that is how he was murdered. But out of the shame of Jesus’ death has come a never ceasing flow of mercy and forgiveness, sufficient even to deal with my faults and sins. And after the indignity of death he left the grave in glory.

I can’t imagine the indignity of my own death. It may come over a long period of time; it may be terribly painful; it may be as a result of accident and be instantaneous. Who can tell?

But this I do know - and you can know it too - my Saviour Jesus has walked this way ahead of me. He has walked it in the worst of all ways. And this I know – that he has been raised from the dead and walks not only ahead of me, but with me, every step of that road. And this I know – that out of my indignity will come the glory of being with him for ever.

Dr Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney
Easter 2011