Easter Sunday Sunrise: From Darkness into the Light!

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.   John 20:1

Prayer/Song:  Lord Jesus Christ (Listen to this Youtube arrangement or simply use the words as a prayer)

Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us.
Let not my doubts nor my darkness speak to me.  

Mary ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”  Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in.   John 20:2-5

Prayer/Song:  Lord Jesus Christ

Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us.
Let not my doubts nor my darkness speak to me. 

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.   Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed— for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead.   Then they went home.    John 20:6-10

Prayer/Song:  Lord Jesus Christ

Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us.
Let not my doubts nor my darkness speak to me. 

Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.

“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”   John 20:11-13



Prayer/Song:  Lord Jesus Christ

Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us.
Let not my doubts nor my darkness speak to me.  

Mary turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” 

She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

“Mary!” Jesus said.  She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!”   John 20:14-18a

Prayer/Song: Open our Eyes Lord (Listen to this Youtube arrangement or simply use the words as a prayer.  Listen closely, this is an arrangement from Russia.  The English words are sung first followed by Russian)

Open our Eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus,
to reach out and touch him and say that we love him.
Open our Ears Lord, and help us to listen. 
Open our Eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus.

Reflection:  As I meditate on this beautiful Easter morning reading, what I notice is that the day begins in the remnants of the darkness with which we have dwelt over the last 3 days ... darkness, mystery, and unknowing.  Perhaps even confusion, grief, and disappointment.  The followers of Jesus, even having been told what would happen, were unable to comprehend what was happening.  Perhaps many of them were unable to comprehend their own traitorous behavior!   We all handle our grief differently don't we.  Mary needed to be alone and close to Jesus at the tomb.   Those 2 disciples needed to be together and they preferred to stay close to home.   Notice that they returned home with their questions, even after surveying the situation. But ...

Mary stayed ... Mary wept ... Mary asked questions ... Mary listened ... Mary saw Jesus!   

When Jesus said her name ... she heard his voice and suddenly she knew.  

From the darkness of her unknowing ... the sun rose!  Mary emerged into the Light of Christ!

As we enter into the Easter moment ... 

Let us rejoice and be glad that Jesus Christ the Lord is risen.  

Let us be rejoice and be glad that the risen Christ walks with us and among us.  

Let us sing hallelujah!!!

Halle Halle Hallelujah ... a tradition Caribbean tune!

Hallelujah!  Amen!