Friday, March 30, 2018


This was written for a Sunrise Service in 2007 and was used for my blog April 6, 2007.  When I thought about how to finish my Easter blogs, I remembered this.  It is the perfect for putting yourself in the Easter Story.

WALKING TO THE GRAVE

We are having Sunrise Service at our church and the Minister asked if I would write a responsive reading.  So, I started thinking about Easter and I started thinking about how it must have felt to walk to the grave.  That thought sent me to the scriptures.  As I was checking in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, I discovered that there were a few differences on just exactly who went to the grave.

Matthew says Mary Magdalene and the other Mary.  Mark agrees but adds Salome.  Luke (who I think might just be a little bit of a male chauvinist) referred to them as "the women," until he finally named names and added Joanna and others.  John comes in with another story altogether.  He has Mary Magdalene going to the tomb, finding it empty, calling in the guys, who look around and go home.  Mary, waiting, because she didn't know what to do, was blessed when Jesus appeared to her.

And then no one could agree on if it was one man or two in the tomb telling the good news.  TAKING ALL THAT INTO ACCOUNT --- going to grave -- be it one, two or many -- would not have been an easy journey.  I came up with this responsive reading.

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

Walk with me up the path to the grave.  Be beside me as we go to prepare the body.  Each step is hard.  I know I should hurry, but I am so afraid.

Do not be afraid.  Remember everything Jesus told you.

We all listened as Jesus spoke.  His voice was always so sure.  So calm.  To know that I will never hear that voice again breaks my heart.

Do not be afraid.  Remember everything Jesus told you.

The grave is closer now.  I wonder how we will roll away the stone.  We have the spices and perfumes.  We will attend to the body, of Jesus, with love and respect.  But how will we roll away the stone?

Do not be afraid.  Remember everything Jesus told you.

We are almost there.  No one is saying a word.  We are each lost in our own thoughts.  Each wondering what will happen.  How can we go on?

Do not be afraid.  Remember everything Jesus told you.

There is the grave.  I don't understand -- The stone is rolled away.  The body of the Lord Jesus is not here.  Where is my Lord?

Do not be afraid.  Remember everything Jesus told you.

Hurry.  Hurry.  We must tell the others.  How afraid I was until I heard the truth.  Why did I not remember?  The men in gleaming clothes simply asked -- "Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen!"  Remember -- "The son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again."

He is risen!!  He is risen!!  He is risen!!

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

March 30, 2018

I cannot even begin to imagine what each step felt like as the women walked toward the grave.  The grave where their beloved Jesus lay.  They were ready to anoint his body.  What I am sure of is that each step was painful.  Each step was like walking into a darkness.  A darkness because they had been so sure.  They just knew….  Their today held the end to all they had believed in.  All they had hoped for.  Today was empty.  The future was darkness.  Each step was painful until -
As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said.  “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid him.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter.  He is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see him, just as he told you.”  Mark 16:5-7

We know the tomb was empty.  We know Jesus has risen.  And because Jesus has risen, our today is not empty and our future is eternal.

Do not be afraid.  Remember everything Jesus told you.
He is risen!!  He is risen!!  He is risen!!


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