Waiting For Resurrection

Easter B – Waiting For Resurrection

April 5, 2015

Mark 16:1-8

“So they went out and fled from the tomb,

for terror and amazement had seized them;

and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”

The End.

That’s it for Mark’s gospel.

Handel’s Messiah is not based on Mark’s version of Easter.

No one is singing the Hallelujah Chorus that first Easter day according to Mark.

For Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome,

that first Easter is not about

alleluias, or joy, or wonder, or excitement…

It is about fear!

The women are not running to tell the other disciples the good news.

They are, in fact, frightened into silence.

It’s not a very satisfactory ending.

(We got all dressed up for that?)

Jesus doesn’t appear to anyone after his resurrection in this gospel.

Mark has no interest in trying to ‘prove’ the resurrection.

Christ is Raisins!

Easter Sunday – Christ is Raisins!
April 20, 2014
John 20:1-18

I heard a story
from a clergy colleague of mine this week.

He has a five year old daughter
who is quite proud of herself that she is learning to read.

She’s at that stage when she tries to sound out everything…
menus, cereal boxes, road signs,
(she’s also at that endearing age when she very happily will point out to her dad that he’s going over the speed limit too!)

Well last week, they went to an Easter egg hunt
and afterwards the little girl was sitting at the kitchen table opening her eggs.

Inside each egg was a little piece of paper
(Don’t worry – I think there was some candy too!)
But the five year old took out the slip of paper and slowly tried to sound out the message…
“Christ is……raisins!”

Christ is raisins indeed! Alleluia!