An empty space…that’s all the women found. They had come back to the tomb because that’s where they had watched the body of Jesus being placed after his crucifixion. There was nothing. Empty space.
Then two messengers with a strange message. “Why are you looking?” “To anoint a body.” “Why are you looking for the living?” “We’re not; we are looking for the dead.” “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” “Where’s his body?” “He is not here, he has risen.”
But the women did not see the risen Jesus himself at first, only the empty space where he had been. Later they would see him, but at first all they had was a word, a message that there was no more a dead body, that an alive Christ would meet them and be involved in their day to day history. They left the empty space with eyes of faith and passed the message on…far beyond, into our present.
Like the women, we, the church, are learning to look for the risen Jesus with eyes of faith. In fact, I spend a lot of time looking for the risen Jesus. And we catch glimpses of him, often realizing afterwards that he’s been here orchestrating something all along.
If I had to pick a few times when I’ve seen him most clearly in the last months, I would mention last October when our older members gathered for a reunion dinner: all the energy, joy and love in seeing one another; their delight and appreciation for the younger folks serving them food. The risen Christ was at work feasting and serving.
The risen Christ has been among us as we’ve learned about loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves. People have shared powerful stories on Wednesdays nights during Lent, and it is evident that the risen Jesus has been at work.
Without naming names, Christ has brought about significant spiritual changes in some lives over the last year. But the risen Christ has also been involved in some building and painting projects and having a good time while doing it. And did you see the eyes of our boys when one was baptized and another received communion for the first time? Christ is among us!
This week I received an envelope in which one of our children writes:
I can do many things to help out. I help out because God loved me first. So I want to share what God has given me. My school’s food bank starts tomorrow. I promise that I will bring in as many cans as I can. I will bring them in ASAP. I don’t want people to suffer anymore. I really do want to make a difference.
This is not an empty space. Look with eyes of faith. The risen Christ’s footprints are all over the place….not in a metaphor, not symbolically, but his true risen presence here in this community. Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Joseph says
An empty tomb is an awesome thing. Our God is a living God!
Elaine Dent says
Alleluia. We need to keep reminding one another, though, or we get hooked looking at empty space instead of the risen Lord.