Easter Sunday (John 20:1-18) 03/31/2013

When I first arrived at St. John’s a few years ago, one of the first groups I had an opportunity to closely work with was the Outreach Committee. At that time, the Outreach Committee was in the midst of re-imagining their mission to the community, re-imaging how to best serve others during challenging economic times, challenging times for everyone. The faithful and insightful people of that group developed some truly creative ideas that combined financial contributions and hands-on opportunities for St. John’s parishioners, allowing the people of our community to reach out and help others in many and varied ways. The foundational idea for this new approach was to become more involved with the people of our community in very personal ways, hoping to develop relationships rather than simply providing financial assistance. This idea is rooted in the belief that interactions between people in the service of others create relationships that are mutually transformational in nature; transformational for the giver and transformational for the receiver. The Outreach Committee, committed to service in the community, changed their name to Community Service in an effort to emphasize this new approach, and the next evolution of their mission was realized this past fall as we committed to some very specific relationships, including our participation in building housing through Habitat for Humanity and tutoring young students at Covenant Prep School in Hartford. These organizations change lives and our participation places us in the midst of ministry that is focused on the redemption and restoration of God’s children and the faithful care of the Body of Christ. This is the Easter story; the story of Christ, through whose death and resurrection, we all find redemption and restoration to the fullness of God’s intentions for us, through God’s grace and love.

In our Gospel lesson this morning we hear the events of the first Easter morning; the excitement, the confusion, and the wonder that filled the hearts and minds of Jesus’ closest friends and followers. In the days leading up to his death and resurrection, Jesus told his friends about the coming events of his death and resurrection, but they did not understand. As Jesus was crucified and finally laid in the tomb, his friends were afraid and they did not understand. And this morning in our Gospel lesson, we hear Peter and the disciple that Jesus loved enter the tomb, and “as yet they did not understand the Scripture.” And Mary Magdalene, a faithful and devoted follower of Jesus, stayed behind as the others left the tomb, but she too wondered where Jesus had been taken and mistakenly believed Jesus to be the gardener.

I imagine Jesus looked with great care and compassion upon Mary as she looked for her friend and teacher. “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher.)” (John 20:16) For Mary, this was a moment of great transformation: she “turned” toward Jesus we are told; a turn of physical movement, a turn of spiritual awakening, a turn of great transformation in her life. Mary experienced a profound turning toward Jesus in her participation with the revelation of the risen Christ. The remaining disciples will also undergo personal transformation in the days ahead as they meet and experience the risen Christ. Jesus was with his friends for three years and he taught them everything they needed to know, but they still did not fully understand the message of the Risen Christ until they had participated in the Easter story; until they had experienced the Risen Christ and his redeeming act of love. The disciples’ personal experiences opened their eyes and transformed their understanding of Christ’s powerful act of redemption; only then did his friends understand Christ’s ministry among them.

As Christians, we are people of this Easter story and we are children of God, called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus’ first followers. And like Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the rest of Jesus’ friends, we may struggle to fully understand Christ’s message to us today; we may often be challenged to discover Christ’s presence among us in our daily lives. But in the same way as Jesus called out to Mary on that first Easter morning, Christ calls out to each of us today. Christ calls each of us and he is waiting for us to turn around; he is waiting for us to take up his invitation to participate in the ongoing restoration of the Body of Christ. Through our participation, there is an amazing transformation of mind and spirit waiting for each of us. As we proceed through these coming days of the Easter season, I invite you to consider at least one of the many opportunities to serve our community through the gifts that have been given you. Your ministry will spread God’s love to others and you will be transformed through the presence and grace of Christ. Alleluia, Christ is risen. Amen.