Luke 24.1-12
1On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women who had accompanied Jesus came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they went in they did not find the body. 4While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ 8Then they remembered Jesus’ words, 9and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
Prepared >> Perplexed >> Terrified!
Confirmation candidates?!
Every baptism and every confirmation
Every communion, every morning prayer
Is in it’s own way an encounter with the staggering reality of the risen Christ
We are caught up in our agendas and journeys
And just like the moment when we fall in love
Or have our breath taken away by a view or a piece of music
We suddenly meet something, someone who is more than us, far more
The tables are turned
We ourselves are put in perspective
NOW things can start to make sense, have purpose
NOW we see what it is all about
And when that happens we can’t stop talking about it
And sometimes too other people can’t see what we’re on about
For now – that is their problem
This is your day
You have bent down, opened yourself up, taken a risk
You have looked in, dared to explore, said yes to the light
You have met with the dead man living, the Christ, the Son of God
And if you will, your life will never be the same again
Now all life is Easter
You have been given life
And your job is now simply to share it
To give life to others
A smile, a word, a stopping to listen
A gift, a good morning, a silent prayer
And of course you will fall short as soon as you try it
But of course what matters is not you anyway
But the Christ who is beside you, within you
Who will be there when you go
Who will be what you can never be, do what you can never do
The saving of the world
But you at least will be his hands, his feet
His ambassadors and acolytes
His workmen and his wallets
And the work begins today.