Today is Easter Sunday. It’s a day of celebration and wonder, a day when we proclaim to all that He is not here in the tomb; He is risen! It’s a day of overflowing joy and boundless surprise as we declare that Jesus has defeated death and is alive forevermore – and because of this, everything has changed.
But it’s a story that starts with confusion and questions: the women setting off just after sunrise with spices to anoint Jesus’ body and wondering who will roll the stone away from the tomb. (Mk 16:1) It’s a day of meeting with angels and feeling bewilderment and confusion initially. The resurrection of Jesus took some getting used to. The honesty of the gospel accounts makes it plain that no one was really expecting this, and the responses range from thoughtful consideration to doubt, confusion and initial alarm. It took time for everyone to adjust to this tremendous news.
As we have lingered at Golgotha on Good Friday and sat in helpless silence on Saturday, we ought not to be surprised that resurrection takes more than a day to proclaim, understand and live in. The good news is this day is the beginning of the rest of our lives. We have an eternity to explore it. We don’t have to rush through this day. We can take our time discovering and growing into the truth that Jesus has been raised from the dead and therefore is with us forevermore.
Just as the sun rose on that first Easter Sunday bringing hope and life to all, so the hope of the resurrection brings light and life to all. Jesus is alive and so nothing is impossible any more. Anything can happen on our wondrous journey with Him.
