Yes! Prayers of Joy!

Good stories are those that when they are done – we all finding ourselves saying or thinking, Oh! Tell it Again! This is why we have all read our children Cat in the Hat, Good Night Moon, Where the Wild Things Are and other favorites again and again and again. I think many of us have had the experience of the same story being requested again and again!
This is why there is no question of what story we tell on Easter. We tell the story that is the cornerstone of our faith. We have spent all week telling the rough part of this story. We have walked with Jesus as he predicted his own death, prophesied his resurrection, ate his last meal, was betrayed and denied. He was put on trial, sham that it was. He was beaten and tortured. He was executed over the political and religious tensions of his message. He felt abandoned and deserted by those closest to him including his father God. He cried out my God, my God, why have you forsaken me. He gave up his spirit. Jesus was placed in a garden tomb, closed with a rock, and guarded by soldiers.
But this is not a story about death. It is a story about life and life eternal. Easter is always the answer to my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?1 Jesus is alive! He was dead and he is alive for evermore! We tell the story that resurrection comes after death and resurrection comes after the silence of Holy Saturday in which the longest and loneliest 24 hours seem like nothing is ever going to change. We cannot jump from the celebration of Palm Sunday to the celebration of Easter. We must walk the week in between in the life of Jesus and in our own lives.
There is an old play called the “The Trial of Jesus,” by John Masefield. In the play, the centurion who oversaw Jesus’ crucifixion reports back to Pilate. Pilate’s wife asks the centurion to tell her about Jesus’ death. After hearing his description, she asks, “Do you think he’s dead?” “No, my lady, he replies. “He’s been let loose in the world where neither Roman nor Jew can stop his truth.” The story that claims us tells us that the risen Christ is out ahead of us, let loose in the world, leading us into a future beyond prejudice and poverty and prison and politics. Jesus goes ahead of us into a future that cannot be defined by death or grief or loss. Jesus goes before us into a future of peace and love, justice and truth, restoration and reconciliation.2

We tell the story that Jesus’ resurrection is the first among many. When we know that Jesus is raised; we know the God can give rise in our lives as well. God raise our focus on death and destruction to life and hope. God can resurrect and heal our broken relationships. God can and will move through even us to bring health and wholeness, hope and a future. Easter is not for lingering at the tomb and wondering, but going out in the resurrection power to bring God’s way on the earth.
Resurrection is God’s No to all the powers and principalities that tried to stop Jesus, to all of the officials and authorities who thought they knew best. Resurrection is God’s YES to JESUS! Risen from the dead, Jesus is now leading into the future that only God dreams possible. Jesus is LORD, not the Roman officials or the Emperor, as he was called at the time. Jesus is LORD, not any religious authorities or political operatives. Jesus is LORD! Jesus is the one who rules our lives.
As Lord, he is our Lord. Jesus is waiting for us! Having already answered our prayers with the ultimate YES! Yes is always the message of Easter! Yes! is the call to live in a broken world and not be held back in fear and anxiety by the signs of death and destruction around. Instead, we are called to center our lives on the hope and promise of resurrection. On this day, we proclaim God’s yes! in a world that know terrorism. In a world that knows sadness and hurt, fear and pain. We proclaim YES not as a native Pollyanna or an ostrich with our head stuck in the sand, but with our eyes wide awake knowing the God’s promise to redeem the world is work in action. We know that the action has begun with the resurrection of Jesus and continues each and every day.
Our lives are forever changed. We join in the YES! of Easter. We join in the YES! of our prayers. As people of the resurrections, our lives no longer reflect death and darkness, hatred and evil. We turn our faces to God’s way where Jesus is Lord over everything. We insist that love will ultimately win over hatred. We live embodying all that is life-giving and hope-filling. This countercultural way of living demonstrates mercy and exemplifies Jesus. Easter is not a single morning where we arise early to hunt for our baskets and give a nod to Jesus. Easter is a way of living that changes forever when we truly experience the power of resurrection in our lives and know that God can raise us as well, in this life and the next.
When we live resurrection here and now, we become convinced that our actions matter. The way we treat one another matters. Our one on ones matter, but so do the ways that we talk about whole groups of people. Our individual actions matter, but so do the ways that our groups, organizations, and governments. If Jesus is truly risen from the dead, all things are possible and that includes us as well as them. If Jesus is alive, the world not acting Christian is not enough of excuse for us anymore. We must put on our resurrection lives and live as those who believe and know that Jesus is the answer to all of our prayers. Jesus have triumphed over sin and death. Jesus was resurrected and is loose in the world bringing about his kingdom. This is not just good news – this is life changing, life-saving news. Thanks to be God, Amen!

1 L’engel, Madeleine. The irrational Season. 99.
2 https://www.faithandleadership.com/nathan-kirkpatrick-tell-it gain?utm_source=FL_newsletter&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=FL_feature

Gospel Lesson: John 20:1-18
The Resurrection of Jesus
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Meditations For Your Week
Sunday, March 27 ~ Saturday, April 2

Sunday: “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.” John 20:1. The stone rolled away reminds us that God can do miracles, even in the most concrete of ways, God can move anything in God’s way! Let us celebrate resurrection!

Monday: “Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.” John 20:6-7 Sometimes the signs of God’s presence are clear and other times, we have to reflect to know God has moved among us. Where have you seen God?

Tuesday: “Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;” John 20:8. God speaks to each heart in a language we can understand. Spend time today with God.

Wednesday: “For as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.” John 20: 9-10. Even after being with Jesus for years, there was still confusion, ask God to give you understanding from the scriptures.

Thursday: “When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.” John 20:14. Mary was in the presence of Jesus and still not comprehending. It is true for us as well. Be gentle with yourself and others as you look for God.

Friday: “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ John 20:17. When we experience God, God always calls us beyond ourselves to share with others.

Saturday: “Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.” John 20:18. Who can you tell that you have seen the Lord?