Sunday, March 31, 2024: Easter Day
Matthew 28:1-10
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, `He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
I can only imagine the surprise, relief and joy of Mary Magdalene “and the other Mary” when, in the midst of their grief over the loss of Jesus, “an angel of the Lord” appeared to them and gave them the good news that Jesus had been raised from the dead. Consumed with sorrow over the tragic crucifixion of their beloved Friend and Teacher, they visited his tomb, perhaps in a way to be closer to Him and to mourn his death. What a gift it was for them to hear they would see Jesus again, as Matthew tells us “they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples” (Mt. 8: 8). Here they were, weighed down with sorrow that their beloved Jesus had died, only to be lifted up with the unimaginable news that they would see him again!
All of us, at one time or another, are weighed down with sorrow as the two Marys were in our gospel reading. Not only are we confronted with the death of those dear to us, we struggle with our own and others’ health issues, financial concerns, relationship conflicts and work challenges. At times, life can be more fraught with difficulties than it is filled with joy. We, like Jesus on the cross, ask God during those moments when life feels burdensome and we are depleted of energy and a sense of well-being, “Why have you forsaken me?”
Before we succumb to despair, we need to identify for ourselves who the people are in our lives who act as our angels, who bring to us the good news that all is not lost, that we are not alone, and that God still lives. Because the gift of the resurrection is that God will always find a way to deliver the news that we are loved, that God is with us, and there is no need to fear. The message of Easter as communicated by the angel all those years ago, and as told to us today in God’s holy Word, is that life is more powerful than death, that love is stronger than hate, and that Jesus lives.
Jesus lives on in our hearts, Jesus lives whenever we speak words of peace to one another, and Jesus lives on when we, like the angel, proclaim hope to those who are discouraged and disheartened. “Do not be afraid. [Jesus] is not here: for he has been raised” (Mt. 28: 5-6).
Thank you, Sally. Your message and the Scripture passage are reassuring.
Susan
You’re welcome, Susan! Thank you for your feedback!