Morning Message: April 20
In accordance with burial tradition, women went to Jesus’ burial place to put spices on the body. What they found greatly surprised them.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 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. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, Do not be afraid; 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. He has been raised from the dead and is on ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Think about this silently in your heart. Why is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead a joyful story?
We continue to rejoice, O God. Christ is risen! Alleluia! May we be joyful in our faith and share this joy with others. We ask this in the name of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Boys and girls, Do you like mystery stories? When I was a child, I loved to read mystery books. When I taught 5th grade, I especially like to read the mysteries by Mary Downing Hahn to my class, because she was born in College Park, Maryland, were I grew up and currently live. In fact, her one book titled, Dead Man in Indian Creek, was written about the woods and Indian Creek that runs right behind my house!
Today we are going to hear the most exciting mystery story ever told. I call it "The Case of the Empty Tomb."
The story begins very early in the morning on the first day of the week. Jesus had just been crucified and buried. Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus' followers, went to the tomb where Jesus was buried. When she got there, she saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Peter and John and said to them, "They have taken the Lord's body from the tomb and I don't know where they have put him."
Peter and John raced to the tomb. John got there first. He looked in the tomb and saw the linen wrappings lying there. Then Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linens that John had seen lying there. As he investigated further, he saw the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was also folded and lying apart from the other wrappings. After Peter looked around for a few minutes, John joined him inside. When they were sure that the tomb was empty, they left and went home.
Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she looked inside the tomb and saw two angels sitting there. One of them was sitting at the head and the other at the foot where the body of Jesus had been lying. "Why are you crying?" the angels asked.
"Because they have taken my Lord and I don't know where they have put him," she answered.
Then Mary turned and was about to leave when she saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him. "Woman, why are you crying?" Jesus asked her.
Mary, thinking that he was a gardener said, "Sir, if you have taken my master away, tell me where he is so that I can go to him."
"Mary!" Jesus said.
When Jesus spoke her name, Mary knew who he was. She turned to him and cried out, "Teacher!"
"Don't cling to me," Jesus said, "for I have not yet ascended to my Father.” Go and tell my brothers that you have seen me and that I am going to return to my Father and your Father, my God and your God."
Mary found the disciples and told them, "I have seen the Lord." Then she gave them the message that Jesus had told her to tell them.
And that solves "The Case of the Empty Tomb." The tomb is empty because Jesus is not dead, he is alive! He is risen just as he said!
Heavenly Father, the empty tomb is no mystery to us. He is risen! We rejoice in his name. Amen.
Boys and girls, happy Monday and have a wonderful week! May you be joyful in your faith and share that joy with others today and every day.
The painting depicted in the feature photos is a 17th century rendition of the women going to the tomb and finding it empty. This is an oil painting titled "The Women at Christ's Empty Tomb" by Peter Paul Rubens (1577 - 1640).