EASTER SUNDAY THOUGHTS ‘Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).’ John 20: 11-16 This is the experience of Mary on that first glorious Easter morning. She saw the evidence before her eyes of the empty tomb, the seated Angels and finally she meets Jesus face to face in the garden. She ran to tell the others. These few disciples were chosen by God to be the first witnesses, to tell the story on, to bring others to faith. From those few witnesses at Easter, the Christian faith began and spread. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the disciples preached the word, firstly to the Jews and then out into the world. This is the message for all believers, not just the early church. We are called to reach out to those around us too. By giving ourselves overwhelmingly to following Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us, we are now called to spread his light in this our generation. This Easter, at the tomb of the risen Christ, let us like those early witnesses run to tell others that the Saviour of the world is alive for them. May we bring them close to hear his voice call their name, and help them to reply back in voices of love, Rabboni! Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. ‘God sent his Son, they called him Jesus He came to love, heal and forgive He lived and died to buy my pardon An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds the future And life is worth the living, just because He lives’. ( Kristen Chenoweth ) |