Matthew 28:1-10
Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” Really? The first word of the resurrection is “hello”?
Of course it was said with an exclamation point and I’m guessing a pretty big
smile, even so “Surprise!” might have been more fitting for the occasion. After
all the two Marys expected to find a dead friend and instead are met by an
earthquake and an angel and a very much living Jesus. There is no way to
prepare for that and I’m surprised they didn't respond like the guards and
faint dead away at the sound of his voice. But maybe in the familiar salutation
the crucified and resurrected Jesus was not so surprising. That’s true for
those of us who have been schooled in this story from birth and cannot remember
a time when we didn't consider belief in the resurrection a matter of life and
death. But for an ever increasing segment of our society this Sunday will come
and go without so much as an Alleluia. That’s not to say the sale of Peeps and
Chocolate bunnies will suffer but the real meaning of the day, at least the
gathering that has defined Easter for you and me, has largely been lost. We can
lament that fact, especially as it relates to our children, or blame someone, especially
those who are not like us, or repackage the message in ever more creative ways,
or preserve the status quo until the last one left turns out the lights. But
then maybe the ancient story still has some life left in it and what turned the
world upside down in the first century can shake up ours as well. It was not
form or creed or convention that convinced people a crucified peasant preacher
refused to stay dead and revealed the love of God for all creation. It was the
conviction of two women who took hold of his feet and worshiped and then told
the story to anyone who would listen, even disciples locked behind closed doors.
As it was then so it is now. The first word of the resurrection is “Hello!”
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