Candice's Comments

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

With these words, we greet one another in Christ on Easter Sunday and throughout the 50 days of Easter-tide leading up to Pentecost. The word "Alleluia" has been silenced in our worship throughout Lent, in keeping with the penitential mood of the season. The "Alleluias" burst forth now during the season of Easter in songs of praise, liturgical responses, and greetings to one another - as we proclaim that Christ is risen indeed!

In Matthew's gospel, we learn that on the first Easter morning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had come “to see the tomb” (28:1). Unlike the resurrection accounts according to Mark (16:1) and Luke (24:1), the women in Matthew’s Gospel do not come with spices to anoint Jesus’ body. What was it they had come to see?

Two days earlier, they had witnessed Jesus’ death and burial and sat across from the tomb as the stone was rolled against the tomb’s entrance (27:55-61). Did they return in order to continue their vigil which had been interrupted by the Sabbath observance?

According to Matthew’s Gospel, what they saw and what they experienced was truly awesome! The stone had not yet been rolled away; but as they journeyed to the tomb, there was a violent earthquake, and an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled away the stone (28:2). Did they see the angel coming down from heaven? What
must they have thought and felt? Did they remember Jesus’ words about his being raised to life on the third day(16:21; 20:19)?

These two Marys are the first to see the empty tomb, the first to hear the joyous news that Jesus has been raised to life, and the first to encounter the risen Lord! The angel’s message is succinct and direct (28:6,7); the women are told to come and see, to hurry, to tell, and finally, to go! They leave, frightened and happy; then comes that wonderful encounter! They see Jesus—their risen Savior! Jesus greets them and gives them further instructions to tell the disciples where they, too, will see him!

The message to go and tell is just as urgent for us today as it was 2,000 years ago. We are twenty-first century witnesses, and we, too, see Jesus through our eyes of faith. The angel told the women to “go and tell;” Jesus also told them to “go and tell;” and, in Jesus’ final instructions to his disciples, they were told to “go to the people of all nations” (28:19a CEV) to make disciples, baptize, and teach.

Like those first witnesses on that very first Easter, we, too, are missionaries of the resurrection message. Go and tell!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Candice