Acts 10:34, 37-43; Col. 3:1-4; Jn. 20:1-18
The pastor’s family was invited for Easter dinner at the Wilson home.
Mrs Wilson was widely known for her amazing contributions to church potlucks.
Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. As usual, it
was a feast for the eyes, the nose, and the palate.
When the pastor’s youngest son received his plate he started eating
straight away.
Wait until we say grace, insisted his embarrassed father.
“I don’t have to,” the five year old replied.
‘Of course you do, his mother insisted rather forcefully. “We always say
a prayer before eating at our house.’
‘That is at our house, he explained, ‘but this is Mrs Wilson’s house,
and she knows how to cook.’
Easter is a day of joy, good food, new clothes,
visit to friends and a day of celebration. The first Easter too was a day of
celebration for the disciples because they had seen Jesus alive again.
Jesus made a number of appearances after His
Resurrection. On Easter Sunday Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, to the women
that came to the tomb, to Peter and to the two disciples on the Road to
Emmaus. Then Jesus appeared to the Disciples with Thomas absent, to seven
disciples on the Sea of Galilee, to five hundred people at the same time. After
His Ascension He appeared to Saul of Tarsus. These appearances convinced His
disciples, beyond any doubt, that He had risen from the dead.
During today's reading of the Holy Gospel, [Jn. 10:1-18] we heard how
Mary Magdalene needed Jesus. She wept when she realized that His body was gone,
believing that someone had stolen it. She intensely longed for the presence of
Jesus. Like Mary Magdalene all his disciples and all the people who loved Him
longed for His presence. Then the words, "Jesus is alive!" or "I
have seen the Lord!" Instantly created great enthusiasm in the
disciples of Jesus. Emptiness, discouragement and fear that existed
because of His death vanished from their minds. The testimony, ‘I have seen the
Lord” gave rise to a new hope, and Faith was reinstated.
There is a story told about Nikolai, a
powerful Russian Communist leader. In 1930 he travelled from Moscow to
Kiev to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism. Addressing the
crowd he attacked Christianity hurling insults, argument, and proof against
it. He finished after an hour and asked. "Are there any questions?”
Deafening silence filled the auditorium but then one man approached the
platform and mounted the lectern standing near the communist leader. He surveyed
the crowd first. Finally he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the
Russian Orthodox Church: "CHRIST IS RISEN!" The crowd arose and
shouted together: "HE IS RISEN INDEED!" It was an unexpected response to Nikolai.
Easter is the story of unexpected. The presence of
Jesus was unexpected for Mary Magdalene. The message of
resurrection was unexpected for the critics of Jesus. It was unexpected for the
Sanhedrin. It was unexpected for High Priest. It was unexpected for the Roman
Governor. For Mary the unexpected was a source of joy. But for the so called
enemies of Jesus the unexpected was a cause of fear.
Mary longed for the presence of Jesus. Hence when it happened
unexpectedly it filled her with joy. We should be open to the unexpected that
God puts before us. The unexpected can turn out to be a source of joy or cause
of fear. It all depends on how we receive it.
Satish