March
31st, 2013 “This is Easter!” Rev. Heather
Jepsen
Luke
24:1-12
This is
Easter
Early dawn –
the air is
cool
and crisp
the sun just
breaks at the horizon
with
reluctance the women make their way
to the
darkness of the tomb
Early dawn –
Mary the
mother of James
Joanna
Mary
Magdalene
and the nameless
others
together the
women move through the quiet morning
Early dawn –
the women
smell the sweetness
of the wild sage
warmed by the rising sun
the women
smell the spices that they carry
the spices
that they carry for him
the heavy odors
of myrrh and frankincense comfort their hearts
Early dawn –
the women
travel together in silence
the women
travel together in pain
it is the
third day since he died
the third
day that they have been without their leader
the third
day that they have been lost
the third
day that they have been alone
Early dawn –
the women’s
hearts are heavy
hearts that
once knew great joy
hearts that
once held great hope
hearts that
believed in a promise
a Messiah
Early dawn –
and the women slowly walk to Christ’s tomb
But wait
what
what is
this?
The stone
has been rolled away –
who has come
here
who has done
this
surely no
man is strong enough to move this stone
The stone
has been rolled away –
the women
rush into the cave
the women
rush into the tomb
the women
rush into the cold dark place of death
to find . .
. that he is gone
The stone
has been rolled away –
he is gone
where is the
Messiah
where is
Jesus
look, here
are his garments
has someone
taken the body
O God, what
has happened to him?
Blinding
light –
a crack of
sound
a flash
the women
are
without
sight
Blinding
light –
suddenly
there appear
two men
dazzling
angels
the women
their hearts
beat with fear
what can
this be
where is
Jesus?
Blinding
light –
a vision
a voice
“Why
Why do you
look
for the
living
among the
dead?”
Blinding
light –
a flash of
memory
don’t you
remember
he said he
would rise
Blinding
light –
and behold
he HAS risen
Run –
the women
scatter out of the tomb
the women
run out of the cave
the women
drop their spices and
hurry back
through the morning sun
hurry back
through the fields of sage
hurry back to
tell
to tell what
they have seen
Run –
the women
arrive to the others
and
breathlessly they tell
the words
spill from their mouths
in a frenzy
something’s
happened
the stone
was rolled away
we were
worried
light
angels
we were
scared
he is gone
he is not
there
he has risen
he is gone
he is not
there
he has risen
Foolish
women
poor foolish
women
what are you
saying?
he is gone
he is not
there
he has risen
the men are perplexed
this can not
be
for surely
this is not the way the world works
and they
turn away
for he is
dead
they saw it
they know it
it is true
foolish
women
in Peter
a flicker of
hope
a glimmer of
faith
a warming of
the heart
an eagerness
to know
Run –
can it be
true
Peter
hurries to see
and yes
the stone
has been moved
yes Jesus is
gone
look
see here
here are the
linens
wrapped
wrapped and
set
set for a
burial
a burial that
could never last
This is
Easter –
the dark
shroud of death conquered
conquered by
the bright light of resurrection
the hope of
new life
the
eagerness to tell
tell what
has happened
tell what we
have seen
he is gone
he has risen
This is
Easter –
the world is
not what we imagine
the world is
not what we thought
the stone
has been rolled away
the
unbelievable is true
the hope is
real
there is a
new life
a new life
for all
This is
Easter –
despite our
fears
despite our
doubts
despite what
we think we know
we set of
running to the tomb
we peer into
the mystery
and low and
behold
here are the
linens
here is the
empty death bed
here is our
world turned on its head
This is
Easter –
life has won
no death can
hold this Jesus
no death can
hold this Messiah
no death can
hold this people
This is
Easter –
Christ has
risen
the old life
is gone
let a new
life begin
begin today
This is
Easter-
we have seen
it
and we stand
amazed
Amen
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