How eggcited are you feeling this morning? Did the Easter Bunny make a delivery in your garden? Did you get a giant egg or a little egg …and how did you eat yours? Have you come to church with the effects of a sugar rush? In which case the first hymn is all for you to dance and jig around to! Or are you intending to pace yourself and be the last person in your house to have any chocolate left and plan to revel in the smugness? I think most of us get eggsited at the opportunity to eat a little bit more chocolate at Easter, and well done if you had part of your egg with your breakfast!
However, I’m not sure that the annual and special delivery from the Easter Bunny, no matter how important chocolate is, compares to the eggcitment of the first Easter Morning. Painful feelings of despair, fear, confusion, hopelessness, deep sadness and grief at the crucifixion of Jesus, the loss of their friend and teacher, were spectacularly blasted apart. Mary Magdalene and the other women went early in the morning to the tomb and discovered it empty. Their testimony led to Simon Peter and the other disciples rushing to the tomb, at great speed, to become witnesses to the resurrection. No longer sombre – still confused, but was that hope creeping in, was there something in what Jesus had been telling them beginning to make sense? What a roller coaster those disciples were on. Then Mary’s encounter with the risen Lord in the garden, as she hears her Lord’s voice, speaking clearly and directly to her, “Woman why are your weeping?” and her exuberant (you thought I was going to say ‘eggsited!) declaration to the other disciples of, “I have seen the Lord” were life changing for all who heard. Jesus, personally greeting Mary and ministering to her in her brokenness, bringing healing, hope and life is the risen Christ’s generous and loving offering to each and everyone of us, everyday of our lives. This Easter, may you encounter the risen Lord, hear his voice and declare with joyful praise -“I have seen the Lord!”.
Alleluia, Christ is risen! – He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
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