“Why Do you Look for the Living Among the Dead?”

     The kindness of friends and neighbors at the time of personal loss is one of the most meaningful experiences we can ever have.  When a young woman’s father died in an accident and she was tasked with making arrangements, a friend brought her a casserole, salad and brownies, hoping to offer some comfort.  Her young daughters and husband dug in with gusto, and, still in shock, she looked at her friend, saying, “I hadn’t even thought about supper.”  

     Following Jesus’ death on the cross, his friends were assisted in a most meaningful way, as Joseph of Arimathea came forward.  A secret follower of Jesus, he was wealthy and influential and stepped in to arrange for an appropriate Jewish burial.

      Consider the week of highs and lows the disciples and other followers had experienced.  A cheering, praising crowd, the quiet intensity of the Passover meal, and then the chaos and brutality of Jesus’ arrest, trial and crucifixion.  None of them would have been wondering what they would do or how they would manage the logistics of burial upon Christ’s death.  But this good man provided the valuable service of placing Jesus’ body, respectfully wrapped in linen, in a new tomb, and completing the burial before the Sabbath began. 

     Bowed down by grief and despair, the members of the group dispersed to where they were staying, and all we know about the following day of Sabbath is one sentence in Luke’s Gospel: 

“. . . they rested according to the commandment.”  For most people, anything close to events this traumatic would necessitate more than a day of rest.  However, we learn from Luke that when the sabbath was over, the women of the group arrived at the tomb at early dawn, bringing the spices they had prepared.  Following the practice of their culture and religion, they were going about the task that women had carried out for generations.  Heartbroken though they were, the act of caring for the earthly remains showed love and respect, and was, for them, part of grieving. 

     We can visualize the women walking toward the tomb, quietly talking, perhaps a little tearful, readying themselves for the task ahead.  But upon arriving, they saw that the stone at the entrance to the tomb had been rolled aside — and upon entering in, they did not find the body.  Whatever they’d anticipated, this wasn’t it.  Two men in dazzling clothes (described as angels in other Gospel accounts) asked, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”   Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.   (Luke 24:5b-9)  

     Easter Day is upon us, and we need to walk into a festively decorated sanctuary, hear the joy-filled shouts of “Christ is risen!  Alleluia!” to hear the organ thundering the Alleluias of “Jesus Christ is Risen Today!” and to hear again the proclamation, “He is not here but has risen.”  Instead, we’ll follow an online service, sing a little self-consciously in our homes, and try to generate the joyful excitement of the Easter celebration.  It’s without a doubt the strangest Easter any of us have observed, but that doesn’t make our Lord’s resurrection any less of the most miraculous event of all time.  God’s love and the creative power of his word come to us wherever we are, whether in a great cathedral, in the church home we cherish, or in a simple room with a small group of believers.  We can be assured that there will come a time when we will gather, and will sing our hearts out in gratitude and joy for the miracle of resurrection and the promises kept by our Father in heaven.

Jesus Christ is risen today!  Alleluia!

Your friend in Christ, 

Mary Rogers