Comfort in the Tomb

          All of us have lost loved ones to death, so we all know to some extent how Mary Magdalene was feeling as she walked to that tomb on Sunday morning—but then Mary experienced something unusual.  None of us has ever arrived at the funeral of a loved one to find that the body has gone missing.  This poor woman already was heartbroken at the death of her dear friend, her savior!  Now, just when she thought she couldn’t be any more miserable, she found that apparently enemies had violated the grave, stolen the body, and deprived her of the opportunity to pay her final respects.

          Mary was surrounded by evidence of what had happened, but in her grief she failed to interpret the evidence clearly.  The stone was rolled away and the grave empty, proof that Jesus had risen as promised, but all Mary could think was that grave robbers had moved the stone.  Mary would have been satisfied with the dead body of Jesus, but Jesus gave her so much more—he appeared to her alive!

          How often have we, like Mary, allowed despair to overcome our hearts and minds?  We’ve all experienced hard times.  Lost jobs.  Broken relationships.  Or as in Mary’s case, the death of a loved one.  At times like these we easily forget about the joy that leads us to celebrate on Easter morning.

     

     Mary experienced that joy.  Some have called this the greatest recognition scene in all literature.  Her savior had died; she thought she would never hear his voice again, but suddenly she recognized that voice calling her name, “Mary.”  Now she recognized her risen Savior.  Jesus once said of himself, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name . . . and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (John 10:3-4).  Mary knew the voice that called her name.  Jesus was alive!

          The Holy Spirit connected us to Jesus in our baptism.  Through baptism we were raised from our spiritual death to a life of service to God.  In this new life no longer are we bound to the tyranny of Satan because Jesus has purchased our freedom.  Our new life requires nourishment, so God feeds us with his word.  He also feeds us with the body and blood of the crucified and risen Christ.  The word and sacraments feed our new lives of faith, forgiving our sins and empowering us to serve God.

          Don't expect earthly life to be easy, because it won't be.  Don’t expect to be perfect in this life, because you won’t be.  But that’s exactly why we celebrate Easter.  All of our sins, past and future, were nailed to that cross.  We are holy children of God in Christ.  Take comfort in the empty tomb!

Christ is risen; he is risen indeed!  Alleluia!