The Light Shines In

March 31, 2024

Easter Sunday

John 20:1-9

We are an Easter people.

That’s an easy thing to say on Easter Sunday. But what does that mean? Well, we know that it is much more than just about a bunny. And it’s about more than chocolate (although I do like chocolate!). It is more than flowers and fancy new clothes. And it’s more than meals with family. And pardon me for saying this, but it’s more than going to church.

We are an Easter people.

Stating the obvious here, but on Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Did you know that none of the Gospels tell the story of the resurrection? It’s true. I’ll give you a minute to go check it out for yourself. We have stories about what happened after the resurrection, but none of the writers include an image of what happened when Jesus rose. As New Testament scholar, John Dominic Crossan says, it is The Great Omission.

Crossan goes on to say, however, that The Great Omission, is not a deterrent to the story of the mission of Jesus. The Eastern Orthodox Church, in particular, has done a great job with their theology making Jesus’ resurrection about the salvation of humanity. The resurrection is of course, stupendous and awe inspiring, but it was never meant to be just about Jesus. Jesus does not stay separate from anyone afterwards. No. He sees and talks to Mary, he goes to the Apostles, he meets disciples on the road, and he has a beachside BBQ in Galilee.

Being an Easter people means we do not focus on a single moment in life. We go out and celebrate all of life. We interact with people wherever they may be and whomever they may be. We share good stories, good food, and Good News. And sometimes we cause a little “good trouble.” But that is what Jesus did.

We are an Easter people.

Because of The Great Omission, artists have, over the centuries, struggled to depict what it might have looked like. In modern times, images tend to focus on light. Whether it is sunrises, light emitting out of a cave or Jesus bathed in light, we equate the moment as an explosion of luminosity.

Recently, I came across a picture of a beam of light shining into the cave. It stopped me because it is the opposite of what we usually see. However, isn’t that what really happened during the resurrection? Light from heaven, the light of love from our Creator God filled the tomb to allow Jesus to find his way out of the darkness that he found himself in. How many times in my life have I used a beam of light to guide me through darkness? When the power goes out in our house, I need a flashlight to guide me through the darkness and not stub my toe. The light is not coming out of the basement, it is shining into the basement helping me to navigate a path through the quagmire of toys and stuff on the basement floor. (That’s a metaphor for the quagmire of life, if you missed it.)

Being an Easter person means that I should be a guiding light for those I meet in my daily walk. And not in some vague or abstract way. I am called to show those I encounter a calm and peaceful countenance, despite the frustrating events that surround me. I am summoned to be generous with my possessions with those who need a bit of a lift. I am asked to be a listening ear to those who have a need to share their concerns, sorrows and pain.

We are an Easter people.

Not just today.

Every Day.