Easter Sunday - Day of Resurrection

The story of the Resurrection is incredulous, impossible, or so it seems. Our intellect may say, “No way!”  Yet there are at least 14 documented sightings with physical evidence that who they encountered was the Risen Christ.  We will visit them next Sunday when we experience the Stations of the Resurrection in place of the usual Word of God liturgy.  Today, however, is our first word about the miracle of the empty tomb pointing to the Resurrection. 

Human beings keep returning to tombs to remember, to grieve, to honor, to beg forgiveness, to thank, to let go.  When the Mary’s came to Jesus’ tomb, they found themselves confronted with the great shock of the Light of Christ radiating through their pain and fear, opening the way for believing Jesus was who he said he was. They discovered God’s love is greater than human pain, fear, disbelief, guilt, and despair.  Their faith emboldened them to share the good news regardless of how it was received or rejected. 

The Resurrection is our greatest mystery and our greatest hope. The paradox is, the less we try to figure it out, the more we get it.  The more we open ourselves to God’s mystery, the more we receive God’s hope, and that is a gift the world cannot give.  Our world is in such pain! Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said, “the world is in search of its soul.”  It needs resurrection hope!

Now, more than ever, God needs us to reach within to find the light of Christ already kindled and empowered in our Baptism, and to use it to make a difference.  We have the Great Fifty Days of Easter to bask in the mystery and the hope of the Resurrection.  May it help us rise up from doubt and fear, forgiven and freed by the love of Christ, and embrace our Baptismal power to be the light of Christ. We have what the world needs, let’s share it generously! 

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is Risen indeed,

and so, by faith, are we.

Amen.