April 20, 2003
Acts 10:34,37-43 + Colossians 3:1-4 + John 20:1-9
No talking angels in John’s Gospel, just three people: Mary of Magdala, Peter, and “the other disciple”. They all three see the same thing; an empty tomb, and they each have a different reaction:
one is concerned, one is confused, the other believes.
We are left by John to wonder on this believer’s feast about the difference between them. A closer look at the details reminds us that this one ”who is loved” is the believer, and we are left to suspect that somehow love and belief are to be found together.
People who experience love are open to the miraculous. What they discover in love is that the unexpected is possible; that saying “yes” in love rather than “no” opens their hearts and their eyes to see what others cannot see and believe in things others never dreamed of.
It is the same for believers. They are not closed to any possibility – like lovers. They greet the unexpected with eyes open to the miraculous. Lovers and Believers alike can take painful surprises, disappointments, tragedies, and even death without confusion or undue concern. The unexpected, the unexplained, the unplanned, even the unwanted finds them looking for the surprise, the miracle, the joy for which others would be too skeptical or doubtful. To look at that tragic death and believe required love. To look at that empty tomb and go beyond confusion and concern required love, which becomes belief.
Seeing is not believing. They all saw the same thing. It is the lover who believes. This then is the feast of believers, the feast of the loved. It can only mean something to those whose eyes are open and whose hearts expect the wonder and the power of God to bring victory and peace, joy and healing. Yet there are many who look for the miracle in all the wrong places. The miracle that draws us here in such great crowds is only found in an empty tomb. It is not found in power, control, authority, money, weapons, size or strength. It is found only in love, the kind of love we have remembered the past two days – the love of service, of sacrifice, and the love of obedience to the will of God.
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul has reminded us to keep our hearts set on greater things. The disciple who saw and believed had his heart set on greater things. Those who work against incredible odds to bring about justice in a little corner of the world are able to do so because they have set their hearts on greater things. Those who live with compassion and patient understanding, who know the power of forgiveness, and the healing balm of mercy have set their hearts on greater things. These are the ones who see and believe, who expect miracles and see them, who can look at every tragedy and know with confidence that good will come, grace will prevail, and love with last.
So today, in this place made holy by fire and light, water and blood, bread and forgiveness, we have crowded together like Mary of Magdala, Peter, and the “one who is loved” to look into the empty tombs, of broken hearts and empty lives. What we see can confuse us, concern and frighten us, or it can lead us to believe that having been loved by God, the best we can hope for and all we have been promised will be ours.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.