Tuesday, March 29, 2005
John 20:11-13 Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."
HE LIVES TO WIPE AWAY OUR TEARS
All of the Easter stories begin with tears, blindness and fear. The disciples as well as the women are terrified at the empty grave, at the angels, and at the risen Lord who appears to them.
The Christ who entered Jerusalem to suffer they greeted with joy and shouting. The Christ who has risen from the dead they meet with despair and fear. At the beginning of the Passion story there is joy and shouting, although Jesus has plainly said He'd come to Jerusalem to suffer and die. At the beginning of the Easter story there is sorrow and hopelessness, although Jesus had plainly said He'd rise on the third day.
We humans are so blind! Our hearts are so full of contradictions, we rejoice when we should be afraid, and we are terrified when we have cause for great joy. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory even over our own hearts' weakness -- through our Lord Jesus Christ! All fear, all sadness, all false joy are wiped out by His Resurrection.
Why does Jesus' resurrection sweep aside all fear and sorrow? Because by His rising Jesus proves Himself to be what He had not ceased to be even in His deepest humiliation -- the eternal Son of God. By His Resurrection Jesus reveals that it was really God who suffered on the cross. The Lord of Life became a slave of death for us; the Holy One made Himself to be sin and dust for us, and this Lord of all lords took up His life again in the grave.
Neither in His incarnation nor on the cross nor in the grave did God's Son ever cease to be God's Son.
Hear it, all people everywhere: God Himself bore all your sin and grief.
Hear it, all you disciples and followers, He died AND HE ROSE for you.
Christ your Lord has broken death's grip once and for all and has returned victorious from the grave. 