Easter

Today is Easter.

All the churches are closed and I can’t seem to wrap my mind around that. The crowd that cheered for death now needs hope. I need hope. Yesterday might have been the longest day in history. What is death if it can’t be mourned. What is loss if there is no void? What is grief if it isn’t all consuming? Yesterday, is as honest as it gets.
But today comes faster than expected.

Mary couldn’t wait any longer through a sleepless night. So while it was still dark she rushed to the grave to find the stone had been rolled away.
The body must be stolen.
So Mary went and called for Peter and the rest of the disciples to help solve the crime. They saw the scene and left confused.
Mary stood outside the tomb crying—you can only handle so much.
A Gardener offers his comfort, but Mary simply wants answers. Why this? Why now? And most painfully of all, simply, why?

Then he says her name... “Mary”

That’s it. There was no need for more proof or evidence. All she needed was to hear her name to have new eyes to see.

Teacher!
Mary —- woman—-becomes the first to share this wildly good news.
That the traveling Galilean preacher from the wrong side of the tracks is who he said he was. And that he did what he said he would do. A faith community that waited ....thousands....of years finally see their promise fulfilled. Jesus —son of God —defeated death.

So no more does death have the final say. Yes, there is grief and plenty of room for it. But, life always comes. Always always always. That is the promise. That everyday holds a chance for a 1,000 tiny deaths and resurrections.
This is hope.
What I love most about the resurrection accounts is that no one figured it out right away. It was simply too good to be true. It took Mary hearing her name. Later it took Jesus breaking bread. Later placing hands in his wounds. Jesus. Is it you?

Can it all really be true? Listen for your name, break some bread, and see for yourself