April 12, 2020
Matthew 28:1-10 … “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’” vs. 10
There’s a double word of grace in today’s text. Twice the women hear–once from the angel, and once from Jesus–that they should not be afraid. That’s good news at any time, but it’s especially important now as we continue to deal with COVID-19. Once we had thought that restrictions would be lifted by Easter, and that normal life could return, but that hasn’t happened and some are wondering if we’ll ever get back to our old routines and be able to enjoy life without fear or anxiety. Today’s Gospel reminds us that we live in a world in which the power of disease and death has been permanently shattered. Jesus is alive and is with us now in our ‘in-home celebrations of hope and new life.’ It may be strange not to be singing the familiar hymns in a massive congregation of believers, those days will have to wait for a time. But one day we will be back together again and the hugs will return. In the meantime, we are encouraged to put fear aside and trust that resurrection has happened and will happen again. And perhaps one day when all this is over, we’ll remember how awful it is to live in isolation, and revel in every chance to be together with friends and family. May there never again be an Easter on which we are forced to be alone!
Thought for the Day: What have I usually done on Easter Sunday?
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