The women –
Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the wife of James, and the others with them – go to
the tomb of their friend on the third day since his horrendous, humiliating
death at the hands of the Romans. The women – in their humble, courageous act –
go with spices for his body.
They arrive
at the tomb: it is empty. They encounter two men in shining clothes. And they
go and tell the astonishing news. He isn’t here, but has been raised.
Imagine –
surprise, bewilderment, fear, confusion, and even grief. The apostles react in
disbelief – but Peter runs to see for himself.
He isn’t
here, but has been raised.
Unexpected news, to say the least: it’s difficult to understand; it’s
impossible to get your mind around it.
The risen
Jesus – who is he? What is going on? What does it all mean? What will happen
next? This sudden surge of God’s grace – it is good news, unexpected, difficult
to believe, impossible to understand.
What is
really going on? Not just the facts, ma’am, but what it means – that is what they, and we, would
like to know. Because we want to know what happens next – what will happen
next, for them, and for us.
Don’t be
afraid, the angels
say, when they bring good news. And they tell us it is good news. God has plans in mind for
your future, not for your harm, but for good, and full of hope. And what could
be more hopeful than the news the angels bring?
He isn’t
here, but has been raised.
What could be more astonishing, more impossible, more true? But if it is true – then what? Everything must
change! And not, my friends, in order that everything may stay the same. All
things have
changed, for the good, with this good news.
Peter ran
to see for himself. Are we running to see Jesus? Can we catch up to this good
news? Or will it catch up to us first?
Come
worship with us Easter morning – and let us discover together where the good
news takes us next.
Father John
Easter
Sunday services 8:00 and 10:30 a.m., March 31st.
You are always welcome at St. Alban’s!
You are always welcome at St. Alban’s!
The
Episcopal Church in Edmonds’ Five
Corners Neighborhood
21405 82nd
Place West, Edmonds WA 98026
(425)
778-0371 http://stalbansedmonds.org
Easter
2013
Holy
Week Schedule
Palm
Sunday services 8:00 and 10:30 am March 24th.
Tenebrae
March 27, 7pm.
Maundy Thursday Eucharist 7pm.
Good Friday liturgy at noon.
Maundy Thursday Eucharist 7pm.
Good Friday liturgy at noon.
Easter
Sunday morning – celebrations at 8:00 and 10:30 am.
The empty tomb
Very early in the morning on the first day
of the week, the women went to the tomb, bringing the fragrant spices they had
prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went
in, they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. They didn’t know what to make
of this. Suddenly, two men were standing beside them in gleaming bright
clothing. The women were frightened and bowed their faces toward the ground,
but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He
isn’t here, but has been raised. Remember what he told you while he was still
in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, be crucified,
and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words. When they
returned from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven and all
the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the
other women with them who told these things to the apostles. Their words struck
the apostles as nonsense, and they didn’t believe the women. But Peter ran to
the tomb. When he bent over to look inside, he saw only the linen cloth. Then
he returned home, wondering what had happened.
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