I listened to an Afrikaans sermon from Easter Sunday. The preacher was engaging and passionate, so I wanted to share some of her thoughts on the resurrection of our Lord.
We are always looking for a happy ending to a
story, whether it be a novel, a movie or an actual event. Even if the ending isn’t necessarily happy, we still wish it made sense or was reasonably satisfactory. Unfortunately, there are many unfinished stories in our lives. Our unique stories are still being written.
In this Gospel account, the crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus are shocking and unexpected and not what we would have wanted for Jesus. But Mark gives us reason to
hope because the tomb is empty. Jesus has risen.
We face the atrocities and fears of daily life in the news or on social media. There is no escape. We live in fear in our homes: we fear for our safety, we are anxious about our finances, we worry about our health. Leading up to the election, we wonder about the state of affairs in our country and worry about our children and their futures.
The crucifixion and death of Jesus come with their own set of anxieties. The disciples are afraid: they fear for their lives. Will they be arrested and crucified, too? The women standing at the tomb are so scared that they are speechless. The angel told the women not to be afraid.
The resurrection brings Jesus to us. It brings the message and assurance that all will be well, all is good and will
remain this way forever. Amid our pain, disappointments, anxiety and fears, Jesus is with us. The tomb is empty. All will be well.
The tension between the resurrection and hope and the uncertainty and fear in our lives is real. How do we live with this reality?
Reflections by Gillian Hugo
