But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet… - John 20:1-18 Continue reading here »
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. - Luke 24:1-12 Continue reading here »
Countless songs have been composed and art created about this scene at the empty tomb. We even have a few different gospel accounts of who saw what and how. Disciples are racing to the tomb, including Peter, who betrayed Jesus just days before. Then there’s Mary who has come to say good bye one last time.
These disciples who went to the tomb may have had different motivations for going, but were greeted with the same thing: news of their risen savior. What they thought was the end, was really the beginning.
May we, like Mary, recognize the voice of the risen Christ that calls each of us by name, to a life abundant.
We leave you with this greeting and response that has been used for centuries:
Christ is Risen! [or in Greek: Christos Anesti!]
He is risen, indeed! [Aleithos Anesti!]
"Last Night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt-- marvelous error!--
that a spring was breaking
out in my heart.
I said: Along which secret aqueduct,
Oh water, are you coming to me,
water of a new life
that I have never drunk?
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt-- marvelous error!--
that I had a beehive
here inside my heart.
And the golden bees
were making white combs
and sweet honey
from my failures.
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt -- marvelous error--
that a fiery sun was giving
light inside my heart.
It was fiery because I felt
warmth as from a hearth,
and sun becuase it gave light
and brought tears to my eyes.
Last night as I slept,
I dreamt -- marvelous error!--
that it was God I had
here inside my heart.
~Antonio Machado
Happy Easter! Today's sunrise service was a delightful mix of music (bagpipes, drums, keyboard) and poetry. The focus of the resurrection was a focus on change. We are the body of Christ, the element of the resurrection, the element of change. The idea of finding something new that God is doing that we have noticed was mentioned. I like the idea of the resurrection being our lives (life). We can be the change, the resurrection, the new life. It's not something that happened in the past never to be replicated; it's something that can happen each and every day inside of us and outside of us.
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