BEaster 2009 Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17; I Corinthians 15:1-11; John 20:1-18 April 12, 2009 Alleluia, Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia! Many thanks to all those who have worked to make our celebration of this day so beautiful: Our altar guild, flower guild, our kitchen crew preparing breakfast for us, those who work in the parish office, and, of course, our choir. Our Easter story this morning does not begin with the resurrection but with a woman’s visit to a tomb of a loved one so that she can mourn and lament his death. There’s just something about being close to the physical place where a loved one is buried. A friend of mine has a large family burial plot. She goes every Palm Sunday with palms blessed at her church, places them on the graves of her deceased family members and spends some time there remembering them. This annual visit is very meaningful and comforting to her. We are drawn even to the tombs of people we aren’t close to. The Taj Mahal - the Great Pyramids in Egypt The tomb of the Unknown Soldier I remember touring through Westminster Abbey: When I saw the tombs of famous Kings and Queens, of Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens Rudyard Kipling, Charles Darwin my memories were quickened and history seemed more immediate. I ‘ve wondered at the people who wait in the never-ending line that leads to Elvis Presley’s grave. Even memorials where many are collectively remembered - The Vietnam and World War II memorials Destinations of pilgrims and tourists - I’m sure you can think of many more. For the famous – the visit causes us to recall and reconnect to them or the event or literature or culture they represent to us. For our loved ones – a visit brings some comfort and revives memories, helps us feel some connection with that missing piece of our life. and gives us a way to express our love for them. And so, Mary Magdalene. We find her coming to Jesus’ tomb early in the morning. She needs to mourn – to be near him; to be alone for a little while and to hold on to her memories; to try to sort out all that had happened since they arrived in Jerusalem and he got arrested. Her mind is wracked with all the what-ifs. Had she gotten to the tomb and found it intact, without the stone rolled away, she would have probably sat there awhile, said prayers for him and asked God why. She would have gone home to come back time and time again. But the stone is rolled away. The tomb is empty. Of course she is shocked, devastated. She immediately thinks that his body has been stolen. What an agonizing moment. I’ve tried to imagine what I would do if I visited the grave of someone I loved with all my heart and found it dug up and empty. What a horrible violation that would be. Mary runs to tell Peter and the Beloved Disciple, who come and see that she is right. Peter assumes the body has been stolen. The beloved disciple seems to begin to put things together in his mind. They both leave, go back home. Mary remains there, not knowing what to do. I was far away from my father when he died. When I got the call in the middle of the night, I wanted to get in the car right then and drive the 12 hours to ‘be with him.’ Mary automatically begins to want the same thing. She wants to find his body, to be with it, to take care of it. She desperately wants to take it away to some safe location so it won’t be found and stolen again. Mary sees a man and asks him to help her find Jesus’ body. It is when Jesus says her name that she knows he is her dearly beloved teacher. Surely in that moment that she recognizes him, she thinks, “Praise be to God. This has all been a nightmare! I have him back. We have him back. Of course she would have embraced him and held onto him for dear life and taken him to where his followers were. Mary recognizes Jesus not because he looks familiar. She recognizes him because when he says her name. He says it with such love and knowing. She is deeply blessed to hear her name said that way. And then, he peels her off and tells her to go – Don’t even look back! You have something more important to do. Tell the others that I will go ahead of them and they will recognize me, too. When he does appear to the disciples, they are fearful and hiding behind locked doors because of all that has happened. They don’t recognize him when he first greets them. It is when he shows them the scars from his crucifixion. They recognize him through his suffering. And he gives them his peace and sends them out into the world. As the Father has sent me, so I send you He appears one more time in John’s gospel. He calls out to some of his disciples from the beach while they are out fishing, They have returned to the trade they had before becoming his followers. The beloved disciple says it is him. Peter jumps into the water and swims ashore and the others follow in the boat and pull up to the beach where he is. Even as Jesus is talking to them, even though they have been told it’s him they still don’t recognize him – Until…he offers them bread and grilled fish for breakfast. And they know him when they receive this food from him. And he sends them out by saying to Peter – Do you love me? Then, feed my lambs. What do the resurrection appearances have to say to us? The three appearances to Mary, Peter, the beloved disciples and the others are hints for us about how and where we may find his living presence as we go through our lives. Like Mary, we can experience being known and loved by Christ and called by name. When we have that deep sense of belovedness, he can’t be far. Like his disciples, we can know him through his suffering. When we suffer and are in pain of any kind, he will come near. Like Peter and the others, we can receive from him thru the food and fellowship of his table. Wherever the bread is broken and given, he will provide what we need. And then he says, “Now, go. I need you leave your what-ifs behind. They can remain at the tomb. Leave your fear behind. It belongs behind locked doors. Leave your maintenance minded, familiar life behind. It can stay in the boat. Go. I was sent to love those who need to be loved. Go, love! I was sent to suffer with those who suffer. Go, be with them! I was sent to give to those in need. Go, give abundantly! Why do we start with a tomb on Easter morning? We start with the empty tomb to remember that he is not there. And that being a Christian is not merely about going back and reconnecting to history. He says, “I am with you always” – in your loving, your pain, your need. Don’t look back – I’m not there. The tomb is empty. I am WITH YOU always.”