Easter Sunday 2020

"So they [Mary Magdalene and the other Mary] left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples." (Matthew 28:1-10)

The first Easter Sunday was not the glorious celebration we are used to having.

The first Easter Sunday was a few women and men who were absolutely confused, frightened, and a little bit hopeful.

The first Easter Sunday dawned sad and grief stricken by the early disciples.

Their teacher and loving friend was dead and they were afraid and didn't know what to do. But the women did what women always do, they took care of the business at hand. They went to Jesus' tomb to prepare his body for proper burial. Only, he wasn't there, which was outright confusing and frightening all on its own, not to mention the earthquake and the angel speaking to them.

I think it is helpful to remember the real Easter morning story this year. We are not in a place to be able to celebrate wholeheartedly. We cannot laugh off the cares of the world with the triumph of God in the midst of all the human suffering going on. God is grieved too this Easter. Yet, the first Easter was not a huge day long celebration. The morning of the first Easter, the men and women who had followed Jesus were still grieving his gruesome death. They did not feel any triumph.

Even when the Good News about Jesus' resurrection was spoken, first by the angel, then by Jesus himself, and then by the women to the disciples, it is not a great shout of triumph. The announcements all start with, "Do not be afraid." I imagine most of the announcements were almost in a hushed speaking voice, like what you use when you are trying to calm someone else or yourself down. "Don't be afraid, all will be well. Jesus has risen from the grave." With the invariable, "What?" coming after. I said, "Don't be afraid, all will be well. Jesus has risen from the grave."

As we will continue to read the story we will see: the good news of the first Easter wasn't shouted in public churches or shared in large communities as we are wont to do. The good news of the first Easter was whispered behind locked doors by small groups of somewhat disbelieving followers, confused and frightened and unsure of what this good news could mean. Which sounds exactly how we are celebrating this Easter morning, small groups, behind closed doors, disbelieving it is Easter already, confused and frightened and unsure of what this Good News can mean for us today. We may not be celebrating Easter this year as we always do or as we like to do, but we are celebrating it like the first Easter was celebrated. In small groups behind closed doors, sharing the good news in slightly disbelieving tones, can it be Easter?

Yes, it is Easter, Jesus Christ has risen from the grave!

Thankfully, in the liturgical calendar, we have fifty days of Easter. If today cannot be the day we all shout and jump in joy, hopefully another day soon we will gather together with great joy and shout and sing and praise God for all the good things we have received. We will celebrate Easter as we have learned to do someday soon.

For now, let us remember the beginnings of the salvation of the world. In a sad dawn during which the impossible happened. Let us remember the women who returned from the grave with fear and trembling, speaking of something they could barely believe. Let us share the Good News of Jesus' resurrection in the hushed tones of something which has just happened, something scandalous, worthy for the gossip vine. Let us whisper this Good News of love with courage in a grieving world.

Alleluia! Jesus is alive! Alleluia! Jesus has risen from the grave! Alleluia!