The Resurrection Happened - Now What?

There's an interesting section in John's account of Easter Sunday that I would like to share with you. Two of the disciples rush to the tomb after Mary Magdalene tells them that the stone protecting Jesus' body from the outside world had been rolled away. His body is missing! (John 20:2). Peter and the Beloved Disciple arrive to indeed find that Jesus' body was gone and that his burial garments were neatly resting in place. (verses 6&7). What happens next defies logic. Did they bother to chat about the matter with Mary Magdalene? No. Did they rush back to the other disciples and discuss the issue with them. No. The gospel says: "Then the Disciples returned home."

These guys followed Jesus all around Galilee. They even went as far as to question him when he decided that he was going to visit Mary, Martha, and Lazarus knowing full well that he was putting himself and them in great danger. (John 11:1-16). But now, now when Jesus' prophecy of resurrection is clearly being revealed to them. Now when God incarnate is making their joy complete - what happens? They go home! How weird. You have to love the fact that Jesus returns to visit them (John 20:19-20) in the Upper Room some time later. Most of us would have chosen some other, less grace-full response.

This past Sunday, I invited a lovely and attentive group of children at our 9:00 am service to go back to their family and friends and proclaim "Alleluia - Christo Aniste (Thank God - Christ is Risen). Wouldn't it be great if one of them remembered those words in some way. Wouldn't it be great if we did? How shall we in word and deed proclaim that Jesus' victory over death radically transforms our lives. He is not dead. He is alive and breathing in us.

One thing we can all do with one another is enjoy worshiping with one another. We are welcoming some babies to be baptized this coming Sunday. We are encouraging their parents and sponsors to share in Jesus' death and Christ's resurrection through the sacrament of baptism with these infants. We are inviting them to become response-able members of Christ's family of the Church. Between now and Sunday, don't hide in your homes - tell someone (with a kind act, in a moment of prayer, or a sharing of Spirit) that Christ is Alive and that his re-birth is a very, very good thing for you and for them.

Blessings Along The Way