An Easter-ing Faith

 

Art by Brenda Robinson

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. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow.  Matthew 28:2-3

 

Welp, didn’t see that coming!  Talk about a Hollywood flair for the dramatic.  Matthew goes all Steven Spielberg here with an earthquake (that is, Creation as God’s first testament of life and good news reveals the truth) and an angel (that is, a messenger of God) wearing dazzling clothing comes and pushes the rock away. 

 

Easter-ing faith doesn’t play by the rules of the world.  Easter-ing faith will perplex us ~ baffle us and cause bewilderment to stir within us.  Easter-ing faith opens us to God’s presence.  And I love that it is the two Marys who are the first disciples to become apostles ~ or said another way ~ they are the first students to become teachers/embody-er/practitioners of good news. 

 

Ask yourself, who is going to believe them?  If someone came up to you with the above words or story today, you would probably politely nod and look for the nearest exit/escape.  This Hollywood inspired scene stretches us to what we think can really happen in the world today.  Perhaps that is part of the Easter-ing faith.  There is a faithful objection within Easter to any report of any human to understand God.  That if I think I know God, that may not be God.  That as humans we create God in our image, rather than let the mystery of God continually recreate us in God’s image.   

 

Easter-ing faith will push the boundaries of what others/world/even people in church might think of as acceptable.  But nevertheless, God’s work in this world isn’t finished.  Pay particular attention to the setting ~ a graveyard.  I wonder if too often we are looking for signs, not amid/among the tombs of life, but in posh/polished places where events like the first Easter might break the fine China plates. 

 

Easter-ing faith will disrupt and interrupt the orderliness and carefully curated-ness we all strive for in the world today. 

 

As we continue to play with what it means to embody/life an Easter faith, what is one bold way you today might step out/step toward what another may call “foolish”?  May that question provoke you to a place or a person that might be unexpected…and may that moment create change…even if there is no accompanying earthquake or angel visit.  May you know an Easter-ing love of God that feeds and fuels your actions and words in the world today.  Amen.