Eastering Faith Part 1

 

Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!!  Alleluia!  Easter is more than one day, it is a way of life.  How do we “easter” our lives?  Does that question sound strange to use “easter” as a verb?  Let this interrupt (playfully and prayerfully disrupt) your life.  Maybe your inner English Teacher is yelling, “Objection!  You cannot take a noun and turn it into a verb!  What would Shakespeare think!”  Deep breath.  Part of Easter is turning the world upside down or right side up.  Reminding us that God’s ways of resurrection – Christ returns with wounds and women are anointed as the first apostles.  Hear in this truth, God never played by the so-called “gospels” of Caesar or Adam Smith or your company’s employee handbook.  God offers a different way.  Rewind and remember what we heard yesterday in church, slowly read, reflect, and savor these words.

 

From Matthew 28:1-10 NRSVE

 

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. (What do you think they expected to see at the tomb?  How you answer that question may say more about you than the two Marys). And suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.  (When was the last time you experienced holy awe and felt the earthquake under your feet/soul/life ~ note this could be good new or bad news ~ because at this point in the story, the two Marys are unsure themselves!)  His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow.  For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. (I love the playfulness here, that the very ones who are put there by people with power to guard the dead body~ now appear dead.  Hold the tension here because Caesar still clings tightly to power, but his structure is being undermined right beneath his nose ~ this echoes Christmas where God subversively enters as a baby born in a barn)  But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid (what fears do you have on this Easter Monday?), for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ (To have an Eastering faith is to live the good news the angel gave to the Marys AND still speaks to us!) This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples.  Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.  Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

 

I pray today you might find a space where you encounter the risen Christ.  This experience may not be splashy or spectacular.  I don’t expect angels to descend, but I do know there are moments when goosebumps or God bumps race and run down my arms each day.  Pay attention to those holy ordinary moments as places God is eastering your life (I know it still sounds funny to use easter as a verb, but stay with me).  May the One who is stirring and swirling in our lives surround you as we continue to celebrate God’s new life at such a time as this.  Amen.