Hello and welcome to this Easter day meditation,
Alectio Divina on the resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus gave us great reassurance in his journey through death into resurrection.
It's a cycle that shows up everywhere,
In nature,
In darkness to light every day and in our own lives.
As certain as we are that death will come,
We can be just as sure that resurrection will follow.
As you listen to these words about Jesus rising from the dead,
Allow them to invite you to a new life and new hope.
Perhaps you're aware of places of death within your own life that are now giving way to a resurrection.
Perhaps you're being invited to say yes to the new life forming within your heart.
As you hear the story of the women at the tomb,
You may want to enter it using your imagination.
What can you see and hear?
What's it like in the garden?
What's it like to be one of the Marys or witness their experience?
How do you feel as you enter the story or watch it unfold?
I'm going to read the story twice and as a way to prepare,
I invite you to come to stillness.
It may help to have your feet on the floor,
Feeling the connection between them and the ground.
Giving you a sense of rootedness and stability.
Let yourself sink into the chair,
Dropping the shoulders,
Allowing yourself to be held and supported.
Taking a few deeper,
Wider breaths and closing your eyes.
Remembering that you are loved and seen and known.
Arrive in this moment,
Arrive into your body,
Into being here and now.
Letting go of the day so far and of what's to come and receiving the grace to be present.
After the Sabbath ended,
At the first light of dawn on the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to take a look at the tomb.
Suddenly the earth shook violently beneath their feet as the angel of the Lord Jehovah descended from heaven.
Lightning flashed around him and his robe was dazzling white.
The guards were stunned and terrified,
Lying motionless like dead men.
Then the angel walked up to the tomb,
Rolled away the stone and sat on top of it.
The women were breathless and terrified until the angel said to them,
There's no reason to be afraid.
I know you're here looking for Jesus who was crucified.
He isn't here.
He has risen victoriously just as he said.
Come inside the tomb and see the place where our Lord was lying.
Then run and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead.
I give you his message.
I'm going ahead of you in Galilee and you will see me there.
They rushed quickly to tell his disciples and their hearts were deep in wonder and filled with great joy.
Along the way,
Jesus suddenly appeared in front of them and said,
Rejoice.
They were so overwhelmed by seeing him that they bowed down and grasped his feet in adoring worship.
Then Jesus said to them,
Throw off all your fears.
Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee.
They will find me there.
After the Sabbath ended at the first light of dawn on the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to take a look at the tomb.
Suddenly the earth shook violently beneath their feet as the angel of the Lord Jehovah descended from heaven.
Lightning flashed around him and his robe was dazzling white.
The guards were stunned and terrified,
Lying motionless like dead men.
Then the angel walked up to the tomb,
Rolled away the stone and sat on top of it.
The women were breathless and terrified until the angel said to them,
There's no reason to be afraid.
I know you're here looking for Jesus who was crucified.
He isn't here.
He has risen victoriously,
Just as he said.
Come inside the tomb and see the place where our Lord was lying.
Then run and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead.
I give you his message.
I am going ahead of you in Galilee and you will see me there.
They rushed quickly to tell his disciples and their hearts were deep in wonder and filled with great joy.
Along the way,
Jesus suddenly appeared in front of them and said,
Rejoice.
They were so overwhelmed by seeing him that they bowed down and grasped his feet in adoring worship.
Then Jesus said to them,
Throw off all your fears.
Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee.
They will find me there.
I invite you to linger with these words,
To linger in the story,
To welcome what it's offering you.
I pray that as you do,
You will connect with what's resurrecting in you,
What life is emerging,
What life is coming out of the soil of death.
May you be blessed today with hope and fullness,
With newness and joy.
Amen.
