Christ has to be risen for each one of us. For the belief that Christ rose on the third day is based more on encountering Christ in experience than the discovery of the empty tomb. We have to be prepared for an encounter with the risen Lord. He will then lead us in the triumph of the resurrection wherever we are. And every day will become a celebration of his feat of victory. We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song.—John Sentamu, Archbishop of York
It has been a long road from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday; the work is accomplished. Jesus from the Cross has himself said the words: “It is accomplished.” God’s gift of himself in the Person of His Son, the Beloved, his life and his death brought forth for our salvation, is completed in the one perfect offering of himself, in the integrity of his being, on the Cross.
But that is not the end of the story. It is only the beginning, of the one great story (as C. S. Lewis called it). That is the story of the glory of God and of God’s people becoming one in Christ.
And the new chapter of the story, the unexpected chapter, comes when the Sabbath is over, on the first day of the week.
It is just after sunrise. The streets are quiet. Nothing stirs. Then a knock on a door and a silent figure slips out to join another, and another joins them. They make their way out of town to the tombs, bringing with them the aromatic oils and spices for the anointing of the dead. They arrive at the tomb of the Beloved. One last duty.
“What are you doing here?” a strange question, from a strange figure, arrests them. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? See! He is not here – he has risen! And he goes before you into Galilee. Go! And tell the others.”
It takes awhile for the news to gather them, but the disciples, the followers of Jesus, find their way again to an upper room, this time to await – what? The knock on the door? The soldiers come to take them away? But one appears among them, greeting them, “Shalom! Peace – the peace of God – be with you!”
And soon they were joined by a crowd, and spoke to them in the languages the people would understand, of the good news, the wonderful deeds, of the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Savior, come to bring the peace of God to the whole world. The song of praise began.
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunder-peals, crying out,
‘Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
and of his Messiah,
and he will reign for ever and ever.’
On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’.
(Revelation 19:6, 11:15, 19:16)
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
* * * * *
Inspirations from Dr John Sentamu (Archbishop of York), C. S. Lewis ("The Last Battle"), Rev Paul Pfotenhauer, Dr Hugh Stevenson, and G. W. F. Handel.
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