Rising Out of Death Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016

Mark 16: When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”

Mark 16: Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. 5 Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.

Mark 16: But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’” 8 They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. 9 Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.

Mark 16: She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it. 12 After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking along on their way to the country. 13 They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.

The stone was rolled away... The ultimate story of an impossible rescue from an immovable obstacle—the conquering of death Themes of grieving turning to astonishment, wonder at heavenly messengers, and disbelief from those who were not there Worth it to read the last chapter of each Gospel to see how the stories intertwine

It was promised... So much about Jesus’ life was described before He came This was, too (Peter says in Acts 2) Jesus also had said it, but no one had understood I believe it—since this day, whenever someone calls out to Jesus as though He was still alive, He has His ways of making Himself known

His ways... Unfortunately, they’re often not like ours (or what we would want) Brad Jersak, in A More Christlike God, suggests that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of what God is like: He comes to us in weakness, not in strength He has made a world replete with laws of nature and also with human freedom

His ways... He comes to us, not in control and with coercion, but with care and with consent “In short, God creates and then consents to necessity, for better or worse...” However, He participates with us in life in two major ways: 1) He suffers with us; 2) He flows through our circumstances with all of His radiance, particularly where His participation is welcomed

Very often, He comes... In co-suffering In community In silence and the experience of absence In a resounding Word beyond all silence (debar and midbar—the Rabbis knew the deepest words were found in the wilderness, in the place without sound)

Simone Weil ( )

Connection to Herbert’s Love III Intellectual Jewish home, early Marxist, activist professor, Spanish Civil War, French resistance, policy writer for De Gaulle’s exiled government, factory and farm worker Time in Assisi (healing) Excerpt from Waiting for God Life outside of Church Influence on Vatican II

Love (III) Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back, guilty of dust and sin. But quicked-ey'd Love, Observing me grow slack from my first entrance in, Drew near to me, sweetly questioning, if I lack'd any thing.

Love (III) A guest, I answer'd, worthy to be here: Love said, You should be he. I the unkind, ungrateful? ah my dear, I can not look on thee. Love took my hand, and smiling did reply, Who made the eyes but I?

Love (III) Truth Lord, but I have marr'd them: let my shame go where it doth deserve. And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame? My dear, then I will serve. You must sit down, says love, and taste my meat: So I did sit and eat.

Now, from Simone She said, when from the depth of our being, we need, we seek a sound which does mean something: when we cry out for an answer

(Taken from a poem about Weil by Stephanie Strickland, 1993) and it is not granted, then, we touch the silence of God--- Some begin to talk, to themselves, as do the mad; some give their hearts to silence.

From Simone’s Notebooks It is when from the innermost depths of our being we need a sound which does mean something—when we cry out for an answer and it is not granted us—it is then that we touch the silence of God The Word is the silence of God in the soul. That is what Christ is in us.

The empty tomb... God could not, would not, save Himself; yet there is an answer beyond our pain The tomb for me is a picture of God’s listening ear He so rarely speaks in a way that fixes everything, gives all instruction, does away with hurtful circumstance Yet the grave of His silence and absence is available—we can run into it

And, mysteriously... Angels lurk to tell us that He has gone before Shining moments add to hope There are occasional breakthroughs (!) These most often come in the context of weary surrender giving way to Love