Thoughts for the Day

The Resurrection of Jesus

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

"Come and have a look at this!" we say to family and friends when showing off the amazing feats of our children; or the funny pictures we have taken with our phone; or the beautiful cake we managed to bake. We want to share our experiences with others, often now through social media apps. Our New Testament is also full of "Come and see" moments. Just think of the Christmas story the way the shepherds are told to go and see the new born baby Jesus in the stable, and the wise men are directed to Bethlehem by Herod. Years later Andrew calls Simon, and Philip calls Nathaniel, to come and see Jesus, while the woman at the well calls all her village to come and see the man who "told me everything I ever did".

The Easter story has similar moments as today's reading shows. Mary Magdalene arrives at the tomb in sorrow, no doubt it's the only place she wants to be, as near as she can get to her Lord. To her consternation she finds that things are not as she expects. The huge stone in front of the tomb is rolled away. She doesn't go into the tomb but immediately calls Peter and another disciple (probably John) to come and see what has happened. Peter looks into the tomb and finds it empty except for the linen wrappings, while John actually goes into the tomb, but then they simply go home! It is Mary who faithfully returns to the tomb who sees the angels and meets the risen Jesus. It is she who will witness to the disciples with the words "I have seen the Lord".

How do we approach today, Easter Sunday? Do we approach this morning the same as any Sunday in church and then go home again? Or do we hope for something more? The resurrection appearances are always unexpected and call us too to make changes to our life, and to become not just one who is called by God but also one who calls others "to come and see".

Easter collect

God of glory,
by the raising of your Son
you have broken the chains of death and hell:
fill your Church with faith and hope;
for a new day has dawned
and the way to life stands open
through our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.