“Glory to God whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we could ask or imagine.”[1] I speak to you in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. AMEN.
Have you heard the Good News? Christ is Risen. Alleluia Christ has risen! And all the Good Episcopalians immediately say, “The Lord has risen indeed Alleluia!” Blessed Resurrection Sunday everyone. This morning’s Easter Vigil was beautiful – here is a Picture of the Resurrection Stain Glass window! WOW. Check it out. The Sun hit it
just right.
Happy Easter!
[1] Ephesians 3:20.
Tucker my youngest Grandson, he is 6 going on 32, has been learning about Christ and what Christmas and Easter really mean. He understands the Christmas birthday celebration part, after all he has celebrated his birthday every year over the last 6 years. When he was told about Jesus dying for us, he thought about it for a while then he asked this question…..Does Jesus have to die every year?
What a great question! From the mouths of babes. Here in the church, we re-enact the last week of Jesus’ life during Holy Week to remind us of the story – our story. To refresh for us what our God has done for us.
Today, Easter Sunday, is also called Resurrection Sunday. We are in Year B and in this year of our Lectionary we get to hear the narrative from the Gospel of John. Without the resurrection, without Easter, we would not know Jesus.
He would have just been another of the marginalized Jews on a cross murdered by the Roman Empire. So, you might be thinking how do we know that this really happened? Well, you might say cause no ancient author would have made it up like this.
It was the custom in first century Palestine to visit the tomb of a loved one for three days after the body had been laid to rest. Ancient thinking was that the spirit of the dead person hung around for a bit. And did not depart until the body became unrecognizable through decay. The disciples would not have made the trip on Saturday because that would have been against the sabbath law. So, Sunday would have been the very first day they could have gone. Our presiding Bishop Michael Curry would like to ask Mary, exactly what caused her to wake up so early in the morning?
And the very first person to see the resurrected Jesus is Mary Magdalene. Why is this important? Because if the story had been made up in a patriarchal society, a woman would have been the last person the storyteller would have chosen to first see the risen Lord. She is mentioned by name 12 times in the canonical gospels more than the apostles and more than any other women in the gospels other than the family of Jesus. Because in all the synaptic gospels, she is the first to see the resurrected Christ, she is called the apostle to the apostles. She has been called the most faithful and devoted of the apostles.
To answer Bishop Curry’s question, perhaps she was so upset that she was unable to sleep that night or since Friday night for that matter. After all her Leader, Lord, and Rabbi, had just died the most horrific death imaginable. So, Mary goes to the tomb in the dark. In the other Gospels, Mary has other female companions that go with her and they have a stated purpose for going ---to anoint the body of Jesus. But in the Gospel of John, Mary just goes in the dark. We are not told why. Perhaps, because her world has just been shattered, she was still filled with such pain, disorientation, and grief. We know what that is like. Some scholars believe she was wealthy and helped to finance the ministry of Jesus. And that she understood the teachings of Jesus quite well. Now it was all over. The new normal is not taking hold. Perhaps like us, Mary felt without Jesus, she has no message, without Jesus she has no power, without Jesus she has no one to turn to when up against it, without Jesus she has nothing to enlighten her mind, to strengthen her resolve, and to encourage her heart. Mary, like us, is dependent on Jesus.[2] So without thinking of her safety she takes off traveling in the dark.
[2] Barclay, 273.
Mary gets to the tomb and in the darkness, she cannot see Jesus. Jesus is gone. Her grief and despair are taking over and she is weeping outside the tomb. She speaks to the angels – “tell me where he is -- and I will take him away!” Then through the tears and anguish clouding her vision, she speaks to the risen Lord but does not recognize him. The darkness and desperation are enveloping her. She is almost over come by it. Then Jesus calls her by name – and the darkness and desperation are dispersed. “Mary!” She recognizes Jesus. Mary could see again. There was light. And Mary saw the love that no earthly power could kill. Jesus calls each of us by name and pierces the darkness. And like Mary when we focus on that love, we know our call is to shout to all “I have seen the Lord.” It is believed that she went on to be an evangelist with the disciples. Spreading God’s word of love and hope.
We have much we can learn from this Gospel. While during this last year of the Corona Covid-19 virus it may seem like Jesus has left us. Jesus has not. Perhaps, we have been so clouded with our Covid grief and Covid despair that we have not heard him calling our name. Listen, Jesus is calling your name. And like Mary, once we answer we are transformed, and it changes our lives forever.
And from the Sequence Hymn today - “Love has come again like wheat that springeth green.” We are reminded that we are God’s beloved, the children of God, and no power or virus can separate us from the love of God. God’s LOVE is the most powerful force on earth.
So yes, Tucker, Jesus must die every year to open our eyes and remind us to transform our lives, tell the story, share His message of His Love. AMEN.
References
Attridge, Harold W., Wayne A. Meeks, and Jouette M. Bassler. 2006. The HarperCollins study bible: New revised standard version, including the ApocryphalDeuterocanonical books. Fully rev and updated Student ed. San Francisco, Calif.: HarperSanFrancisco.
Barclay, William. 1957. The Gospel of John. The daily study bible series. Philadelphia: Westminster Press.
Bartlett, David Lyon, and Barbara Brown Taylor. 2008; 2011. Feasting on the word. preaching the revised common lectionary. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press.
Youngblood, Ronald F., F. F. Bruce, R. K. Harrison, and Thomas Nelson Publishers. 2014; 2014. Nelson's illustrated bible dictionary. New and enhanced. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
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