“So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”  Fear is a very real and common emotion, it is often a first reaction to something that is unfamiliar so it is no surprise that the two Mary’s would be afraid to find a strange man standing in the tomb where their beloved friend and teacher is supposed to be. In their grief and as an act of love they had gone to anoint Jesus’ body and instead they found the body gone and a stranger telling them that Jesus was alive and would meet them in another town. I am sure that if we experienced this first hand that we would be quick to flee and say nothing for fear of being labeled a lunatic, so we should not be surprised at what these two women did.

While we can never know exactly what transpired on the first easter, what we can be sure of is that resurrection is real. Whether it be physical, spiritual, or even emotional; resurrection is a real and vital part of our existence, though realizing it is not always easy or possible.

I was recently asked where I see or experience resurrection and I, quite honestly, had difficulty coming up with a response. It isn’t that I don’t understand the question or what resurrection is or even that I haven’t experienced the power of resurrection in my own life because I have; I honestly have no clue why I struggle to answer this question and I suspect that I am not the only one in this room to do so. I also suspect that I am not alone in feeling badly about it. Here’s the thing though, who cares?  

Jesus was not raised from the dead so that we would know how to explain our experience of resurrection in the world, he was raised from the dead to show us that the power of God is limitless, it shows us that if we follow his lead then we will live happier, fuller, and more meaningful lives. Lives based on love, justice, and mercy; lives that see the value of living in community based on these values. Living a life that recognizes the power of community and then seeking to include all people in that community is the whole point of this entire thing we do. It is the reason God created us; it is the reason the Hebrew people were led out of bondage in Egypt; it is the reason they were given the Ten commandments while wandering in the wilderness; it is the reason Jesus lived, died, and came to life again to show us that even death cannot stop the power and love of God from breaking into the world. The joy of Easter, the reality of the resurrection, whether we can articulate it or not, is here. It is always here, and like the Mary’s at the tomb we can, and we will, share what we have seen and heard when the time is right because the resurrection is not about all of us having the gift of articulation it is about the removal of the barriers between us and God. It is about following Jesus wherever he has gone. We heard in this very gospel that Jesus was not in the tomb, he had gone ahead to Galilee and would meet the disciples there. 

I wonder if a part of the struggle to articulate the manifestation of resurrection is that many of us see resurrection as an ending, instead a beginning. The ministry of Jesus did not end with his death, neither did it end with the resurrection. The hope of Christianity is found in the fact that the story never ends, it began with creation, and it continues today. God is for sure in our hearts, and in this community and all communities, but God is also waiting for us in Galilee. They are waiting for us to overcome our shock and fear and meet them where they are, which is everywhere. Where I see the resurrection is in the realization that we are already living in a post resurrection world, which doesn’t mean there isn’t hardship and strife and death and all the things we would prefer didn’t exist. What is means is that we need to spend less time wondering what resurrection is and more time immersing ourselves in its results because the greatest gift from God is that even when we can’t see or articulate who God is or what they do, we still know, deep down, that God is God; that God is here, but also that God is in Galilee waiting for us. Waiting for us to realize what we have known the whole time, which is that the resurrection is not the end, it’s the beginning. It’s the beginning of the newest chapter of God’s creation and God is waiting for us in Galilee, and Northampton, and Greenfield, and London, and in every little village and hamlet across this not so small planet we call home. God is patiently waiting for us to overcome our fear and and anxiety about being people of faith so that we can truly join each other as the body of the risen Christ. Alleluia! Christ is risen.