Fear, surprise, wonder. This is the Day that the Lord has made. Let us Rejoice and be glad in it.
A dark tomb. Anyone who has experienced being robbed has a taste of the fear and violence that underlies the beginning of this passage. Mary Magdalene gets to Jesus’ tomb, the space Joseph of Arimathea so blessedly gave to honor him, and he is not there! Her first thought, it appears, is that Jesus’ body has been taken, robbed. How awful! To have just lost your dear teacher, the incarnate Word (although perhaps your understanding of that last part is slight) and instead of going to be in silence with the body, to mourn, the space is empty.
You can only imagine the grief and fear with which Mary runs to Peter and the other disciple. They all run together to the tomb, distraught. I can only imagine they are bewildered, they feel accosted by this development. And in the middle of all this fear, there appear two angels. And then, even more surprising, a person who in the dim light could just be the gardener, but ends up being the most miraculous thing of all, the resurrected Christ!
In much more subtle ways, I often feel this is the way it can happen for us. In the midst of the Lent of our lives, when we are reminded so much of our failings, the sad and trespassed terrains of our lives, that is when we feel the blessed brush of angel wing. That is when we turn and look right into the eyes of Christ, although (seeing through our mirror dimly, as in the tomb) we may not see him as he is right away.
And then we get it. That beautiful image in Isaiah.
The wolf shall lie down with the lamb, on that holy mountain.
... on that holy mountain, of the Lord
Looking at Jesus’ resurrection, we see new birth, and the reversal of the harm we have done in our own lifes, we see not just how we are in God’s eyes, in the gentle Jesus eyes that call our names, but in that we see what we can be as part of living out the reign of God on earth.
I have been reading a book called “Life is a Verb,” and despite its ungrammatical title, I have been revelling in its approach to life. The author’s father in law was diagnosed with cancer and died within 37 days, and this profound grief caused her to start thinking differently about living her life, how to live it more joyfully, creatively and lovingly towards not just her family but her fellow human beings.
Through Lent we have heard a lot about end-of-life preparation but Fr. John said something important in Adult Forum the other day. He said the best time for a Celebration of Life is not when you’re dead, but it is about every day you’re alive. This author would agree with that. She would say, live life now! Break out your mother’s china for everyday use and burn the jeans that you have been waiting for years to fit back into. Don’t be stuck in the old, but live into the new.
I like this concept, but instead of just thinking about 37 days as if they were all you had, what about today as your birthday, true birthday of renewal in the spirit? What about Easter as Jesus’ re-birthday and subsequently the birthday of the whole body of Christ? (and that means you, folks!) If you lived your life as if it were fresh, as if the old mistakes had never happened, what would it look like? What would be resurrected within your life?
On this day the Lord has acted, and we shall rejoice and be glad in it...
(taught as a child)
This is the day the Lord has made, and we shall rejoice and be glad in it... what about waking up with that every day? How would that joy, even despite odds, affect you? When some loved ones died recently, there were a couple of days I didn’t say that, but eventually, despite the odds, I pressed on, because my true joy is in Christ. My true joy is in what we remember today!
What now?
We are witnesses... whether you come back here next week or not, chances are God in God’s infinite wisdom will put you in a situation sometime soon to witness to the Gospel. This does not necessarily mean giving your testimony of how Christ has changed your life in words, although it could do. As St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.”
The key to the saintly life is to listen to God in those moments. It may be hard to know when you are being called to witness. Don’t be surprised if it seems like something too small to make a difference.
Let me give you an example of someone very small in our midst who is working hard to make the difference, to be the witness although she may not think of it that way.
Little Emily recently came to our community and joined Carden Academy this fall. The other day she asked me “Do poor people need money?” I said “sometimes, yes,” and she said “Well we should find some and give it to them!” in her typically ebullient fashion. Her mom Lisa told me the other day that Emily had something for me to give to others. And she presented me with this—[box] –and I have to tell you, it made my day! Not a widow’s mite, but a kiddo’s might! Some money to share with the poor.
What does it hold? Maybe a dollar or two. But that’s not the point. Such a mighty little soul, to be aware of others, especially the other she doesn’t know personally. That, my friends, is witness. It needn’t be big, but it is about listening to God’s call on your soul, just like Emily did.
And witnessing isn’t all serious, folks. Sometimes it’s being a fool for Christ. Smiling at a stranger and just being sweet to someone who looks scary to you, who looks different. Sometimes it’s living life to the fullest so you can share the joy of Christ. Whatever God is calling you to do, just live into it with exuberance, and in so doing you can witness to the resurrected Christ’s impact on your life, on all creation.
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