Our staff meeting last week was very hectic—there were last-minute details, missing details, and changing details to be reckoned with. As we prepared to close the meeting and pray our way into Holy Week, our choir director shared a Facebook meme with us. Pilate says to Joseph of Arimathea, “Why are you giving your brand-new burial tomb to Jesus of Nazareth?” Joseph replies, “It’s only for the weekend.”

Today’s Gospel places us at the scene of the empty tomb. Through a character—perhaps an angel—the women learn that Jesus has been raised. And then they are given a commission: ‘Go and tell the others.’

Mark describes the women fleeing from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Terror, amazement, fear -- those words held my attention this week. 

I began to think about all the out-of-this world, divine events these women had experienced as they walked with Jesus. Miracles. Healings. Feedings. Parables. They saw Lazarus walk out of a tomb…alive. 

And yet Mark says this empty tomb caused them to flee from the scene.

There is something quite different about this empty tomb.

Jesus raised Lazarus from human death to human life. Lazarus was restored to the life he had.

God raised Jesus from human death to resurrected life….life that is eternal.

This empty tomb is the beginning of new life, new hope. It is a mic-drop moment: He is risen. Go and tell the world.

The original, written version of Mark’s gospel ended with the passage we heard today—with the women running away, telling no one what they had seen and heard. It was a powerful conclusion because it begged a rhetorical question for every one of us: If I was standing at that empty tomb, if I heard God’s messenger say to me, “Go and tell the world”….What would I do?   

Earlier this morning, we blessed a new processional cross for St. Christopher’s. It is a replica of the cross that led this congregation into worship for many years. I chose Easter Day to reveal the cross because it symbolizes our new life at St. Christopher’s. God is calling us to new life—to go and tell the world that Jesus the Christ is risen. As a congregation, St. Christopher’s has walked forward in faith time and time again. And we are flourishing as we faithfully answer God’s call.

In a few moments the processional cross will lead us to the font, where we will baptize 5 people into the Body of Christ—this, too, is a sign of new life.   

For those being baptized, it is a new birth into the life of Christ, into the life of the Church of every time and place. 

For the Church universal, there is new life. Each time we welcome one of God’s own into the Body of Christ, the Church itself is renewed.

For all of us, there is new life as we affirm our own vow to “do all in our power to support the newly baptized in their life in Christ.” That is quite a commitment. Because to support the spiritual growth and life of these young people, we are committing ourselves to a St. Christopher’s that is deeply rooted in youth ministry, in adult ministry, in worship, in service and in leadership.

There is new life when we acknowledge that we are not raising up a congregation for yesterday’s calling—or even the calling this particular moment. We are raising up a congregation that will say “Yes” to God’s call on this Easter Day and all the Easter Days yet to come.

A few days ago, we talked about Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter being like a triptych—a piece of art with three panels. Maundy Thursday’s panel shows foot washing, a new commandment, and the Garden of Gethsemane. Good Friday’s panel is the cross. And Easter shows us an empty tomb, the pronouncement that Jesus is Risen, and a commission to “Go, and tell the world!”

We have walked through each of those panels this week. And now it time to step back and look at the work in its totality. What is God’s message through this work?

Like art, each of us will interpret God’s work differently. I see God’s unconditional love for Creation, for the broken person that I am. I see redemption—offered freely for all Creation, across all time and place. I see new life—new hope—new joy. 

Christ came to reconcile Creation to God. Through his death, resurrection, and ascension, new life is given to all of us—eternal life in Christ. Every day is Easter—in this life and in the life to come.

Today, we stand at the empty tomb with the women who were there first. We, too, hear the pronouncement that Jesus is Risen. We, too, hear the commission, “Go and tell the world!” We, too, feel the amazement and terror. For that rhetorical question is still hanging in the air: What will I do with the good news?

Alleluia! Christ is Risen.