Easter Sunday

We adore you O Christ and we bless you because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

And in the name of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

He died the day before; he died on the Sabbath; he died upon the cross.

This they knew.

They knew because they saw it all happen before their very eyes from a distance.

They knew because Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where his body was laid.

They saw it closed as well; Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council had laid Jesus in that tomb and rolled a stone against the entrance to keep it closed.

This is where we are this morning.

The women have gathered.

Mary Magdalene, Mary, mother of James and Joses, and Salome, perhaps mother to the sons of Zebedee, the so-called Sons of Thunder, all gathered just as the sun had risen to walk to Jesus’ tomb.

They would have woken in darkness, the very early morning when those who labor rise to labor, their rest is ended for the day.

They would have woken as the shepherds who spent their night in the pasturelands tending to their flock returned home.

The same shepherds who announced Christ’s arrival, the shepherd’s about who we sang just three months ago.

They would have woken as the farmers woke to tend their crops and their vineyards, the vineyards where so many of Jesus’ parables are set.

They were amongst the workers, the workers greeting their day and those ending it.

The ones who would be guided when waking and guarded when sleeping and there were the women, Mary, Mary, and Salome, watching for Christ, they felt no rest.

Salome brought spices with her as that is what one does when it is time to visit the dead; the spices were not for embalming, as such a thing was not practiced at that time.

No, the spices were brought to mask the odor that death brings, it was the proper thing to do.

As they walked to the tomb, they wondered aloud if it would be possible to move the stone they had witnessed rolled in place or if they might find someone to help them move it.

It would be a rather hard task to perform even in the coolness of the desert morning as it was a very large stone and a very heavy one at that.

And then they saw it.

Perhaps they stopped short.

Perhaps Mary Magdalene placed her hand upon the forearm of Salome as if to warn her of something.

Perhaps they gasped.

For as they reached the tomb, they saw what had occurred.

The stone that blocked the entrance to that tomb hewn out of the rock, was moved.

This shocked them.

Did graverobbers break into Jesus’ tomb?

Was his body spirited away by Pilate’s men?

Not knowing what happened, the three women entered into the tomb.

They did not see Jesus’ body, he was gone away but they did encounter a young man sitting calmly in that tomb.

And just as calmly as he sat, he spoke.

He told them not to be afraid; that though they came to look for Jesus, they would not find him here, here being where the young man pointed, here being the place Joseph of Arimathea laid Jesus in the tomb.

No, Jesus had been raised from the dead.

The young man then told Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of Joses, and Salome that they should tell Peter and the disciples that Jesus was already on his way to Galilee.

Jesus would be there, said the young man, just as Jesus said he would.

And then, rather than what occurred in Matthew or Luke’s gospel, where the message was passed on to the disciples, the women fled the tomb and told nobody because they were so afraid.

That is it; that is how Mark’s gospel originally ended, with fear and no real resolution at all.

And this ending has disturbed people for ages.

For ages and ages.

This ending is not the Easter fare we are used to.

This is not Jesus Christ is risen today.

This is not us singing hymns of praise.

In fact, there was so much upset with the original ending that some folks decided to add a new ending called “The Intermediary Ending of Mark” which reads,

And all that had been commanded them they told briefly to those around Peter. And afterwards Jesus himself sent out through them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.

And even that ending wasn’t good enough so some other folks added what is called “The Long Ending of Mark” where Jesus interacts with the disciples and Mary Magdalene.

Especially on this day, this Easter Sunday, why are we reading a resurrection gospel that ends in fear?

The people who sought to “improve” this gospel just did not want it to end the way Mark originally wrote it to end.

Conversely, what did they fear in the telling of Mark’s gospel as it originally ended?

Did they fear the coming of Christ’s kingdom which was promised upon his return?

Were the mothers of the group fearful for what would happen to their sons and daughters?

Or, quite simply, is not fear a valid reaction to witnessing the divine?

What happened when the seas raised up and the boat the disciples were floating on was tossed from bow to stern and aft to port?

The disciples panicked and Jesus calmed the storm.

But remember too, that they said with great fear, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the see obey him?”

Great.

Fear.

It is, I think and would be for all of us, a rather human and understandable reaction to act with the fear the women felt at hearing the news of Jesus’ resurrection.

So rather than fear in its truest sense, the sense of horrors and sorrows, we can look to the fear the disciples felt on that boat and the fear the women felt by the boat as an almost hopefulness.

Fearful of their situation in the moment but fearful in that all they heard from Jesus is now true.

Indeed, Jesus Christ is risen today!

Imagine the young bridegroom or the young bride.

Sure, they are nervous, but there is also excitement about all that is to occur.

Sure, the women are frightened by the suddenness of this news, by Jesus’ return to Galilee where so many of his works were performed, yet along with that fear must have been excitement, anticipation, the hopeful joy of their reunion with their savior.

There can be joy in fear, joy in pre-wedding nerves, joy in starting a new job but also feelings of fear if it will work out just the way we think it will.

And frankly, things hardly ever work out the way we think they will yet still we find joy.

And on this day, this day of alleluias and the resurrection, on this day of a quiet dinner or a loud family affair, we find that joy.

Because once the tomb was emptied, hope entered back into the world and suddenly this world, back then and today, has become a place of hope, joy, and wonder.

From that hope, that joy, that wonder, we are bidden to move into the world where rocks will no longer shutter us in darkness, prevent us from seeing past our own misgivings, insecurities, lack of trust in others.

No, on this day we celebrate new life, a new covenant with Christ that promises eternal life and reunion with all whom we love if in return we love God and love each other.

We can do great things in this world and we can do great things in this world by starting with the small things.

We can give a jar of peanut butter to one who is hungry and with their hunger abated, they will study better, be more focused, pursue the dreams they have for themselves and others.

We can send toothpaste to Haiti and watch a child’s face brighten, the oral health grow healthier and still that is but a beginning for healthy build healthy relationships.

Is it not in our best interest to look past our almost innate, primordial mistrust of others and build relationships with each other and the world?

Yes, let us look past our fears, recognizing that they are normal, and see a world brought together through Christ’s transforming and hopeful message of hope and salvation.

All of this can start today, we can change the world for the better with small steps then big ones, we know we can do that and still, to think about that, well, it might make us a little nervous, fearful even.

However fearful, though, Jesus will always be just ahead of us in Galilee.

There is hope in Galilee and we need not fear our destination.

Christ is with us on the journey there.

So too the Holy Spirit.

So too, God.

With fear and hope, with the anticipation of joy to reach all of our hearts, our path is now clear.

To Galilee.

To relationship with each other; a chance to share Christ’s word, Christ’s love; our word, our love.

We need not fear that to which and where we are called, for we are not alone on this journey.

Jesus Christ is risen today.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Amen.