Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!
Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!
Easter Sunday, April 5th
All four of the gospels tell the story of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. They all follow the journey of the women who went to the tomb early on Easter morning to anoint Jesus’ body with precious spices and myrrh. St. John, however, suggests that only Mary Magadalene journeyed to the tomb. She is hardly mentioned in John’s gospel, but even while it was still dark, “she came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed.” So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, John, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Immediately, the two of them ran to the tomb, John stood outside, while Peter went in. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then John went in also, and he saw and believed. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
Oddly, neither disciple seemed to mention to Mary what they saw. They simply disappeared, and Mary stood confused and saddened wondering where Jesus’ body had been taken.
St. John’s gospel poignantly captures the wonder and mystery of Easter. At times we find ourselves on Easter morning excited and racing to the tomb to see if the good news of the resurrection is true. At other times we have to search a bit deeper into the tomb to discover the remnants of abandoned linen cloths that help us to believe. Still, there are moments when death and sorrow are so great that we remain alone and saddened outside. We confuse Jesus for the gardener, just as Mary Magdalene did. It is precisely at that moment that Jesus comes to us and calls us by name, and we turn to him and believe.
My friends, I do not know where you are on your spiritual journey this Easter. I simply pray that you will be renewed again with the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and that like Mary Magdalene you will be inspired to proclaim the good news, “I have seen the Lord.”
Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Happy Easter! Pastor Arden D. Haug
