Christ is Risen!

Christ is Risen!  He is risen indeed!  Although we could proclaim this every Sunday in worship, usually when we hear these words we assume it must be Easter.  Gospel writer John's story of resurrection is John 20: 1-18, when various disciples come to the tomb where Jesus has been buried, only to discover he is gone - he is risen (maybe?) as predicted.  My invitation to you:  Will you come to the tomb with Mary, Simon Peter and John?  Where do you find yourself in this story that we re-tell year after year as we claim this story for our own?

Are you a "Mary" approaching the tomb against all cultural expectations in the dark of the morning - in the dark of your soul?  Like Mary, do you live into the ordinariness of life, not expecting the extraordinary to come your way?  Do you wonder whether you'll ever be able to talk the God talk or see God at work in your life?

Or, are you a "Peter," outrunning the beloved disciple in the footrace to the tomb?  Competitive?  Jealous? Impulsive?  Guilty for your denials of Jesus - even those subtle ones - that make you anxious for Jesus' forgiveness and mercy?  Or are you just curious to see what in the world Mary is blathering about?

Maybe you're a "beloved disciple" - who we know as John.  Have you been raised in a family of faith in which Christian beliefs are talked about and/or lived out?  Because you've always known Jesus, are you able to deepen your faith without any solid proof?  Are you the one who sees possibilities of God's work everywhere?  Are you the bringer of hope even in the faces and places of despair or anger or sadness?

Through our voices - through our words - through our every action, we too can hear and see our Rabboni in our own way.  When we do, isn't there a call to us as Jesus said to Mary:  "Go forth and tell what you have seen here."  Through us this story of resurrection continues wherever we share our testimony and our experiences of the living Lord in our midst.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Shelley