April 9, 2023

BEHOLD the radiance of the Risen Christ – still alive and shining in our midst! I’m reading an author (Maggie Ross) who points out that modern Bible translations hardly ever use the word BEHOLD anymore, especially in the New Testament. It’s a great word for Easter – if we apply it to our vision of the resurrection. To behold is to see with attention, to observe with care, to see or observe something remarkable. To behold is also to perceive something in other ways than the merely physical. We can intuit or sense or apprehend something important – in other ways besides just cold, hard facts. Many of life’s most important experiences, like love, hope, inner peace, fulfilment, gratitude, and even fear – are mostly perceived more with the ‘heart’ or consciousness or soul – rather than with our eyeballs. So, as we begin our 2023 journey of resurrection today, let’s try and expand our perceptions to BEHOLD Christ’s compassionate presence – still at work in our wounded world.

There’s an inner eye that can see remarkable things. Have you ever sensed, for example, that someone behind you is looking or staring at you, and then you turn around and look right at them, without any prior knowledge of their gaze? Has that ever happened to you? Or perhaps you were looking at someone not facing you, maybe just wondering how they’re doing … when suddenly they turn and look straight at you, having somehow perceived your gaze. It’s kind of awkward either way, but have you experienced this? Recently I noticed that even my dog can sense when I’m staring at him, albeit lovingly. He appeared to be half asleep, but then suddenly he jerked his head around and looked right at me with a slightly questioning gaze. I mention this kind of ‘morphic resonance’ today because it helps us to be attentive and behold glimpses of Christ’s presence around us; or feel the Holy One embracing us with a loving gaze.

I chose the Matthew Easter gospel since it’s Year A and I learned some interesting things. Matthew’s resurrection story is the only one with an earthquake! In fact, Matthew likes to sprinkle a few reports of earthquakes throughout his gospel – to shake things up perhaps. Today the gospel implies that the earthquake occurred because of the angel descending from heaven, rolling back the stone, and sitting on it – not exactly the soft landing that we might assume in the arrival of angels. And the angel’s appearance is like lightning, Matthew says – another dramatic or even shocking element of nature. Fear is a part of this story too. For fear of the angel, we’re told, the guards shook and became like dead men. And the two Marys clearly showed fear as well; since the angel’s first words to them are: Do not be afraid. One of the consistent themes throughout all four gospel reports of the resurrection – is that this phenomenally good news is first told to women; and then they are asked to go and tell the other disciples – to preach that Jesus is alive! And despite their fears, they do just that.

“So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples” (v8). Have you ever felt both fear and joy at the same time? I think wedding days are famous for that. In my Jasper ministry I officiated 23 weddings in 3.5 years, and I can tell you that I saw both fear and joy on the faces of most of the brides and grooms. I felt this again at my two ordinations, and definitely in the process of giving birth. Can you think of your own times of feeling both fear and joy at the same time? Or other examples you’d like to mention? Fear also seems like an appropriate response to angels or other divine manifestations. Perhaps that’s part of why Matthew throws in lightning and an earthquake – in case you missed the fear cue, that should wake it up.

When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary -- are running back ‘with fear and great joy’ to tell the other disciples that Jesus is risen – what happens? Jesus himself pops into the scene with a greeting. He too must sense their fear because he also says: Do not be afraid. They say that ‘do not be afraid’ or ‘fear not’ appears about 365 times in the Bible. That may be an exaggeration, but the number is high for sure. So, let’s not be surprised or in denial if we too feel afraid of many scary things in life or the world. I often feel afraid of what’s happening in the world, and to the earth, especially for the sake of the grandchildren’s generation. There are many indications that young people are inheriting a troubled and damaged world – everything from climate change and war, to the cost of housing, looks quite scary. Fear is not always a bad thing, of course. Heck, I wish my daughter had been more fearful and cautious in her overly wild teen years! And fear is sometimes a good gut feeling that causes us to step back from dangerous situations. So, fear is a natural and even useful part of human experience – a signal that also reminds us to ask for God’s help in our troubling times, knowing that Jesus is alive for all time, present to us through angels and the Holy Spirit in so many ways.

I’d like to close with this “Easter Prayer” poem by Janet Morley

When we are all despairing: when the world is full of grief;

when we see no way ahead, and hope has gone away;

Roll back the stone.

Although we fear change; although we are not ready;

although we’d rather weep and run away:

Roll back the stone.

Because we’re coming with the women; because we hope where hope is vain;

because you call us from the grave and show us the way:

Roll back the stone.

Amen!