A Message from Rev Alistair McLeod on Easter Day.
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia.
We know that today is a happy day when we should put on our ‘Sunday best’ and go to church; spend the day happily with our families and friends, eat drink and be merry – well currently we cannot do very much of that today, but one day we will and we know that we will be happy and free to do all of that a little later. We know that today is a happy one. But the people we meet at the tomb in this morning’s gospel reading didn’t know that. Their minds weren’t on daffodils and Easter eggs; their thoughts were shrouded in grief for the loss of a dear friend who had promised them great things. We have the knowledge of where they story goes next – they didn’t have that knowledge, for them it must have felt as though they had hit a brick wall.
The first one at the tomb that day was Mary Magdalene I don’t imagine that she would have had much sleep that night, her world had come down about her on Friday. He had changed and re-directed her life and she trusted and loved him. So here she is at the tomb. She has come to grieve for him but when she arrived, she found that the grave had been tampered with – there was no stone sealing the grave and the grave was empty. She ran back to her friends, to Peter and the other disciple, and told them that they had taken Jesus’ body out of the grave and she didn’t know where he was.
Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb, saw that it was empty except for the grave clothes. We’re not told what was in their minds at this time but that they went back home. Mary was left alone weeping inside the empty tomb still believing that someone had moved Jesus’ body.
Mary is asked, “Woman. Why are you weeping?” At first she doesn’t recognise that it is Jesus who is asking her the question. She didn’t recognise the very person she was looking for. Now I have often been asked why she was unable to recognise this man with whom she had been close for a few years. I think the answer to that is very clear. In grief we are often blinded by the pain and rawness of the moment. Mary had come looking for a dead man. It wasn’t until Jesus spoke again this time using her name that she realised that it was Jesus. She had come to the tomb in grief but that was turned into gladness and joy.
And now, two millennia later and we come to this point with joy and gladness too. Jesus has done what he said he would do. Sadly, we are not together in church this morning, but that day will come again.
In the meantime, let us respond to his love and goodness for us all and bless his name for ever. Jesus has been made know to us, yes through the scriptures of course, but also in many other ways too. In the love we share with our families and our friends, and our acceptance by them, in the sharing of our resources with others who perhaps have less than we do. The kindnesses we receive every day, even the smile of the stranger, and finally the knowledge that Jesus not only died for us but more importantly that he rose again for us too.
“For God so loved the world that He gave his only son so that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but will have everlasting life”. John 3. Verses 16
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
A Prayer for Easter Day 2020.
Almighty God, with joy and praise with gladness and celebration we bring our Easter prayer.
We lift up our thoughts, and although today we cannot lift our voices in song, we lift up our souls recognising all that you have done for us in Christ.
Almighty God, speak to us again today, through all we rea\dall we hear and all we do
May the truth of the resurrection inspire us with new hope.
May the victory of Christ fill us with new joy
And may we serve you with new vigour through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.