Easter Day, Yr. B Mark 16:1-8 St. Paul’s Smithfield, NC 4/1/2018

Jim Melnyk: “Where Do We Go From Here?”

This past Wednesday in our weekly Bible Study several of us spent some time talking about the rather abrupt ending to Mark’s gospel.  Mark’s version of the resurrection concludes – as best as we can tell – with verse 8: “So they [the three women] went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid” (16:8). 

Years ago I read someone’s question somewhere, “Is this any way to run a resurrection?”  It might not be a fitting ending to Matthew’s account, or Luke’s, or John’s, but I find myself believing that this is indeed a fitting ending for Mark’s story.

“Mark’s abrupt ending, as found in the earliest manuscripts, shifts the burden of understanding to the reader” (Synthesis CE 2018).  The author challenges us to go back to the beginnings of the Gospel in order to finally understand what the ministry and teaching of Jesus is all about.  In fact I believe the author is enjoying a bit of irony with his listeners.  Throughout the entire ministry of Jesus he is constantly commanding everyone to “tell no one” about who they think he might be.  Now, with Good Friday over and done with, and the Lord of Life risen from the dead – the first witnesses in Mark’s gospel are actually told to proclaim the resurrection and they flee without telling a soul!  

None of us can climb into the minds of Mary Magdalen, Mary the mother of James, or Salome to see what they are thinking as they encounter the stone rolled back and the young man, whom I believe we’re meant to see as an angel, dressed in a white robe and in the very place they expect to find the body of their teacher, Lord, and friend.  Apparently his admonition to “not be alarmed” falls on deaf ears – and can we blame the women?  Who among us wouldn’t be both intrigued and yet scared out of our wits at such a vision?  And while Mark tells us that they flee the tomb – and the heavenly messenger – in both terror and amazement, saying nothing to anyone out of fear, they must have finally told someone – because here we are, nearly two thousand years later – followers of the risen Christ.  As author Carlos Rodriquez reminds us, “Easter is about listening to women preach the resurrection.  Easter is about putting down the sword and picking up the cross.  Easter is about denying the ways of the empire for the kingdom of peace.  Easter is about God embracing our Friday for the hope of Sunday” (Twitter).

But I have always wondered if there isn’t something more to their terror and their amazement.  Perhaps they’re thinking, “It was all true!  Everything Jesus told us – it was all true!”  The stories about his source of authority – having been sent by God.  The power that held sway over both people and the natural world around them.  The promise of suffering and death as well as the declaration that death would not have the final say.  And now a new summons – “Go, tell his disciples and Peter that [Jesus] is going ahead of you to Galilee” and that there, in Galilee, they will see him, “just as he told you.”

If these three faithful women are anything like most human beings they’re probably thinking, “OMG – this stuff is real – and we’re all in this up to our necks!  This stuff is real and if Jesus isn’t angry over the way we acted the last couple of days he’s probably going to expect a lot out of us.”  The way of Jesus was certainly a threat to the way of the world when he was alive and walking the dusty roads of Galilee and the crowded streets of Jerusalem.  How much more dangerous is a risen Christ who shows power not only over the world, but over death as well?  As Presiding Bishop Michael Curry says, “The way of Jesus is a threat to the way the world is – and [at the same time,] the hope of how the world can be” (Easter Message, 2018). 

And we, like the women, now know that resurrection means our call to follow Jesus is not only real – but it’s also expected of us by the risen Christ.

Author Frederick Buechner has written, “Anxiety and fear are what we know best…. Wars and rumors of wars…. We have heard so much tragic news that when the news is good we cannot hear it.”  But, [Buechner] reminds us, “Love is the victor.  Death is not the end.  The end is life.  His life and our lives through him, [and] in him.  Existence has greater depths of beauty [and] mystery…than the wildest visionary has ever dared to dream” (Synthesis CE, 4/1/2018).

And so we gather together this day to do so much more than dazzle one another with our Easter finery.  We gather together today to declare that the powers that brought about Good Friday may have their day – but the power of God to bring hope to a broken world, the power of God to bring peace to hearts in turmoil, the power of God to bring life out of death, has won this day.  As it has been said, “you [may be able to put] truth in the grave, but [Easter shouts out,] it won’t stay there!” (Clarence W. Hall)         

We gather together today to remember and to claim our kinship with the risen Christ – the One who proclaims even today the Dream of God – a dream of justice, of inclusion, of radical welcome, of peace, and of God's unending love.  And because Jesus lives, we can proclaim the grace of God, the peace of Christ, the promise of love, and the hope of resurrection power in our very lives this day.  And once that power and grace are found alive in our hearts, it is ours to bring to a world so desperately in need of God’s love.

The angel tells the women, and through them all the followers of Jesus throughout the ages, to go – we are to go and meet Jesus wherever and whatever our Galilees might be, and proclaim the same message of grace and love as did our Lord—wherever that may lead us. 

For in the end we have two choices.  We can go back to our nets, or we can roll away our own stones and follow Jesus.