Easter is a day for rejoicing with every fiber of our being.  From death to victory, our Savior, Jesus Christ gives us reason to hope.  Today’s message focuses on a different kind of love story.  One filled with faith and devotion, and unremitting trust. 

Before dawn, Mary Magdalene came alone. She walked in the dark. I’m thinking she couldn’t sleep.  She brings no ointment, just her sorrow.  Mary arrives to find the stone is gone.  The tomb is empty.  So she ran.     She runs towards the familiar, her friends.   In some ways, this story is as empty as the tomb.  Just the facts.  No description of what was said or felt by the disciples who ran to the tomb..  Despair, anger, joy?   It is the beloved disciple, the writer of this Gospel John, who believed.

After checking the empty tomb, there seemed to be nothing left to do. No action to take. So, Peter and the beloved disciple left.  It is Mary, not surprisingly, the woman, who expresses all the emotion in this story.   It is she who returned to the tomb and stayed.  This time, Mary was brave enough to go into the tomb. She found two angels.  Angels who spoke the truth.  

The angels asked, “Woman, why are you weeping?”  “They have taken away my Lord…, Mary responds. “And I do not know where they have laid him.”   Then Jesus shows up and also asks her “Woman, why are you weeping.” Mary did not recognize Jesus.  He was a nobody, likely a lowly gardener. So, Mary turned her back on him.

Jesus is standing right in front of Mary, and she doesn’t even know it.

 Much like us today.  Jesus is always present in our lives. He shows up in our friends, our children, our partners, even our enemies or a stranger.

Then Jesus called her name.  “Mary...” 

Mary believed.  She turned back around to face and address Jesus.  “Rabbi.”  Mary shares the best news ever.   "I have seen the Lord!” 

This is the story of mutual faith.  Jesus is standing there. Waiting.   Waiting for us to turn around.  He calls us.   Do we keep our back toward Jesus?  Do we think our sins stand in the way?  Not any more!  They do no longer.  All is forgiven. We just need to ask.  Today, let us all turn and face the Son of God.

We can live every day as Easter.  We have seen the Lord!  Thanks be to God. Amen.   Christ is Risen     He is risen Indeed.    Amen.

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