Easter Sunday
Luke 24:1-12, Acts 10:34-43; Isaiah 65:17-25
Did you see it? What did you think? I have heard that question a lot these past few weeks. A question of anticipation and expectation. Did you see it? The "it" for a while was the movie "The Passion of the Christ." Did you see it? What did you think? That was the e-mail question from my father where the "it" was the amazing configuration of planets all visible at the same time. In case you missed it Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn have all been visible to the naked eye at the same time in the evening sky, an event that will not be repeated until April of 2036. Add 32 years to your age and image where you will be when you can next gaze on all five planets in one night sky. "Did you see it?" my father asked but I knew he was really wondering more about "could" I see it comparing my night sky visibility to his country view without city lights. And there was the question, Did you see it? from a member of the parish wanting to know if we had seen the new Goodman play "Crowns" (we had, and we liked it very much.) Did you see it? has also been asked of me by those who saw the 9-11 hearing testimonies by Richard Clark and Dr. Rice and asked again by several who saw the Peter Jennings special on Jesus and Paul.
I think it is revealing what events cause us to explore the dimensions of the shared experience, to find others who have seen what we saw or felt what we feel. The first Easter was no doubt such an experience, but this Easter? Has anyone asked you yet today, Did you see it? What did you think? Of course we probably would be a little unclear about exactly what "it" refers to today. Back 2000 years ago we would probably be focused on the crucifixion. Did you see it? On this Easter morning the focus shifts, the "it" to be seen would be the tomb with maybe a little question lingering about the body. Did you see it? Have you seen it? Is the tomb really empty?
There are moments in history and our lives that take on a meaning that lifts them above the routine and marks them to memory. Moments that we later will say to another, "Remember the time..." or "Remember when..." They are instances of revelation with implications far beyond the moment. They are the events that provide the "why's" and "what if's" of our lives. They need no reflection or historical contextualization when we immediately discern meaning and significance in them. These are the truly amazing moments in life when the moment you experience the event you know that you will never forget it. Too often such moments are filled with tragedy or pain, the death of a spouse, the diagnosis of a serious disease. But there are also the moments of grace, miracles of joy, memories of gladness when the spirit was lifted beyond the moment. There is that instant that contains within itself not only the immediate meaning but opens to our understanding the future Moments like the first time you met that certain someone and just knew that this was not someone who was just passing through your life. Or the time you had to make a certain decision, had to make it because it just felt so right and true to who you are or what you want to be. There is that conversation that changes the way you see yourself and the world from that moment on, a moment that brings you to the brink of a new life.
Moments that may be as simple as a touch, a smile, a helping gesture, a kiss, but all such moments are marked in our memory defining us and how we see the future. This is at the same time a wonderful and terrifying part of being human to know that at any instant this could be the action or event that defines everything that happens in my life from now on. Easter is exactly such a moment. With the popular response we have witnessed in the past few weeks to the Mel Gibson movie "The Passion of the Christ" it is safe to assume that the majority of people have experienced in some form or another the death of Jesus during these past 40 days of Lent. Whether you saw the entire film or not there is hardly a person in America who has not at least experienced the commercials and various film clips, saw the news magazine covers and through the various commentaries and reviews pretty well come to some conclusion about the film story. While there are certainly historical critiques that can be brought to bear on the film the one fact that really can't be disputed is that a major population has come to recognize that crucifixion is a horrible way to die. And regardless of which Gospel you use to approach your understanding of Jesus there is no dispute between any of them or even other first century writers concerning one fact, Jesus was crucified.
It is doubtful to me that anyone who witnessed a crucifixion could ever forget it, some images are truly unforgettable. The question "did you see it?" is really too superficial to such an event, a violent and terrible death, Did you see it? Most of us would prefer to not have to dwell on such things. We would prefer more pleasant images and experiences. So the Easter weekend centers more on food, family, friends, bunnies and eggs, escape from the world we have seen too much of. And yet this morning we find ourselves having completed the journey of Lent,we have passed through the Holy Week observances. We have gone from the palms to the passion, knelt to receive absolution on Maundy Thursday, listened in building anticipation to the last words of our Lord on Good Friday. We have made the descent into darkness that ends with the tolling of the years of Christ's life and then the sound of the book slamming shut, the end of the story or so it should have been.
But then comes Easter morning and the women came to the tomb bearing spices to properly care for the body that had been so quickly taken from the cross and sealed in the tomb. We can hardly imagine what they must have been thinking and feeling. What emotion would you expect to be the defining emotion for an Easter morning. As a child I remember the anticipation, the waking to the quest for Easter eggs "There is nothing wrong with Easter eggs on Easter," my mother always said, "as long as you keep in mind all the ways in which those eggs are intended to turn your attention towards the real meaning of Easter." Seeking the eggs, like the women seeking the tomb and the egg being very much shaped like the ancient tomb. The wonder of it all in the promise of life within.
As the children's sermon this morning reminded us, a surprise awaits, so anticipation, excitation, exhilaration. So many possible emotions centered in and through a certain joy and happiness. Which is why I am struck by the response of the women in our lesson for today They find the tomb open and empty and we are told they were, "perplexed." Not exactly the response we would expect for an Easter morning, "perplexed." We need to remember, of course, that the women had been followers and friends of Jesus'. They had witnessed his death, the long and painful death on the cross. Their reaction was not based on an Easter anticipation or even an Easter sense of relief at some kind of fulfillment. They went to the tomb expecting to embalm the body and found nothing. They were perplexed.
It's like what happened at the Tampa, Florida airport last year. People parked their cars and flew off to various destinations one Friday returning several days or a week later only to discover that while they were gone the airport had decided to rename all the parking areas with new designations. They may have left their car parked in lot 5C but they returned to find that there was no longer any parking lot designated 5C. I understand there were a great many very perplexed people who also quickly discovered other emotions as well. The women in our story were perplexed by an empty tomb. For a moment I'm sure that at least one of them wondered if they could have gotten it wrong, entered the wrong tomb. At which point the resurrection story begins in earnest as two men in dazzling clothes ask a question that contains its own answer, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" And the Easter emotion moves from perplexed confusion to fear of the miraculous. A moment had arrived that changed their lives for they had seen something that even when it was described to others came across as our lesson says, as an idle tale. The Greek word used here (leros) was used to describe the speech of those who were delirious. And certainly the women may have believed themselves to be delirious, an empty tomb, a dazzling vision, and a resurrected Jesus. Yet as strange as it all may seem, within a matter of days, weeks, months the reports of resurrection appearances had swept through the community. And those who had seen it, and those who heard about it began to gather and discern in the midst of these gatherings something more then just fellowship and good feelings. There emerged a sense of calling, at first they weren't sure what to call it but gradually the community came to know the Spirit that moved in their midst and they committed themselves with growing energy to live in witness to the teachings and life of Jesus.
But that Easter morning changed everything. Even though they were devout and religious Jews they shifted the focus of their worship from the Sabbath to a remembrance of the resurrection, the Sunday morning Easter event. And from that day on no Easter could be forgotten because each Sunday worship became the reminder. Today is Easter morning, Have you seen it yet? How do you feel about it? Do you know what it is? Some 20 years ago now a good and faithful pastor of the church and a friend and mentor of mine named Bob Patterson called me one evening and said "I need to see you, I have something growing in my brain and its going to kill me." There was no surgical option, Bob lived only nine weeks after his diagnosis but a few days before he died I visited with him one last time. We talked about the dreams he had for his children, the love he had for his wife, the hopes he had for the congregation he had served and the peace he felt with God. Then as I was about to leave he asked me, "Do you remember last Easter? What was the weather like? I replied I wasn't sure. I said in my memory most Easters are rather cool and kind of blur together. "I know," he said, "I have the same problem, which is why this next Easter I want you to remember that the resurrection you are preaching and celebrating is not just recalling the events of the first Easter. You are going to be preaching about my resurrection because you know what St. Paul says, if Christ is risen then I also will be raised." I nodded in recognition of the scripture he was quoting. Noticing how he had personalized Paul's words to himself. "I'll remember," I assured him. Then as I was leaving he said, "Don't ever take Easter for granted, especially the weather." There is no way to take any Easter for granted if you have seen it for what it is, a gift, a perplexing and frightening and miraculous gift. An opportunity to feel all the feelings and experience all the possibilities that life promises in one mysterious moment described to us as the encounter with an empty tomb. Look inside, there is no body only remember what my friend Pastor Bob said—the missing body is not Christ's but ours.
We rejoice this day not only in Christ's resurrection but our resurrection. Do you get it, Our resurrection? Today we enter the kingdom, today it begins, our resurrection day, our Easter. Twenty years later, and I don't think I can ever consider taking an Easter for granted, but I've given up on the weather, I find that perplexing. It's Easter, an empty tomb, Have you seen it yet? What do you think?
Amen.