The Upload
Posted on Mar 25, 2016 by
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
I pray you have had a blessed Holy Week.
Easter is so early this year. Now, I know that the weather around here for the most part has been incredible already and many of us have flowers blooming in our yards, the daffodils are blooming at Salem, but in many places across this country people will go to church this Easter where trees will still be bare and snow is on the ground. The Denver airport closed this last week because of snow! But, no matter where one lives or what the weather is like, on Easter morning, we will gather to greet the risen Son and give thanks to God for the new life we have in Jesus Christ.
This year at Salem, we will be offering a sunrise service on Easter morning. I know it has been well over a decade since we have done this, but I am so excited. I love being up and witnessing the sunrise on Easter. Now, this year our Easter morning Gospel text is from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 24:1-12), but my favorite Easter text is John 20:1-18. As John describes the morning of that first Easter, he says, “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb” (John 20:1). Wow, can you imagine that scene?
It was still dark while Mary Magdalene walked to the tomb where Jesus lay to prepare his body for his burial. The disciples had not been able to do it before because he had died on the Sabbath, so Mary went as early as possible on the first day of the week so she could begin to offer Jesus the proper burial he deserved. I can just imagine the chill of the morning air, the hint of daylight out on the horizon, and the silence of the early morning. Most likely, the only sounds heard at that hour were the sounds of Mary’s footsteps and her breathing. But then, the silence was broken! What should have been just another normal “first day of the week” was anything but normal.
As Mary approached the tomb, she discovered it was empty and so, in the darkness, she ran back to tell the other disciples that Jesus’ body had been stolen. Peter and another one of the disciples ran back with her, and with the daylight barely shining, they looked in the tomb and saw only the linen cloth that had been used to wrap Jesus’ body. They leave and Mary, all alone, stands there and weeps. Suddenly, she is not alone, and two angels begin to speak with her. Then a man who she believes to be the gardener asks her why she is weeping. And then that “gardener” says her name, “Mary.” In response, Mary recognizes Jesus and she says, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). And there, in the eerily morning light, she sees the Son, her Risen Lord, and she knows she will never be alone again. Never again will the world be left alone.
Yes, the earth around us is struggling to change from winter into spring, and as the earth is struggling to bring forth new life, this Sunday, we will gather and witness to the risen Lord and proclaim new life in Jesus Christ.
In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul wrote, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death... For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:3-5). New life is ours and never again will we be alone.
I pray you have a blessed and joyous Easter, and may you know that, through your baptism you, too, have been promised resurrection and you, too, are promised new life.
Have a blessed Easter!
Shalom,
Pr. Dave