By the Rev. Elisabeth Hartwell
RCL Reflection, Easter Sunday, Year A
Click here for the readings
April 9, 2023
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” -Matthew 28:10
Dear fellow preachers: If you are like me, you find it fascinating how each Gospel’s resurrection accounts is dramatic in its own way. Mark leaves us with a cliffhanger as the women run away from the tomb and do not tell anyone what they have experienced. Luke leaves us to imagine just what those two men in dazzling clothes must have looked like as they suddenly appeared next to the women at the tomb. John paints the poignant moment when Jesus calls Mary by name and she finally recognizes him. But it is Matthew, whose portrayal of the resurrection is Oscar-nomination worthy, who takes the cake as far as drama is concerned. Matthew’s depiction of the first Easter morning has it all: an earthquake; an angel descending from heaven whose appearance is like lightning and whose clothing is a white as snow; guards who shake so much they become like dead men, and Jesus himself appearing to the women, exclaiming “Greetings!”
But come Easter morning, what do we do with Matthew’s resurrection account? It seems almost too perfect, too satisfying. What does an earthquake mean to that person in the pew who will return to an empty house after worship? What meaning do shaking guards have for that someone in the pew who lives with debilitating mental illness? What will Jesus’ excited shout of “greetings” mean to the person who comes to worship extremely stressed out? And, after all, what difference does it all make? Ultimately, how are we and how is our world really changed by the empty tomb?
It may help to consider some of the details of Matthew’s resurrection account. First off, notice that it is the same women who first witness Jesus’ dead body being placed in the tomb and the stone rolled in front of the tomb, then return the next morning to become the first witnesses to the empty tomb. As you preach, you might emphasize that, for these women, the grief of death is not separate from the miracle of resurrection. Just as the women see the place where Jesus once lay, they also recognize that he is no longer there. Death and resurrection do not exist without one another. As you preach, you might explore that both death and resurrection are realities in our world. Where do we see death? And how does resurrection overcome death?
Perhaps the biggest question Matthew’s resurrection account asks is how we will live as Easter people? How do we live as faithful stewards of the most miraculous event ever to take place? How do we faithfully live into the power of the resurrection? Living as Easter people means recognizing we cannot control God or predict how God will act. No matter how much death and destruction we see at work in our lives and in the world around us, life will always have the final word. Following the resurrected Jesus into the world means holding on to hope.
My fellow preachers, I do not know what tombs are present in your lives and in the lives of those in your congregations. As was the case with the women on that first Easter morning, our work is not to deny the reality of these tombs, but to face them head on. It is only in coming face to face with death that we can begin to move beyond it and cling to the glorious hope of resurrection.
In Worship
Worship on Easter Sunday is joyous, celebratory, and loud. And, for the most part, it should be. After all, on Easter we are trying to capture the hope and promise of the most amazing miracle ever to take place. At the same time, as pastors we might remember that the first Easter did not begin with joy or celebration. It began with loss, grief, and uncertainty. It might make worship all the more meaningful on Easter if you can weave some quiet moments into worship and acknowledge in your prayers the death and destruction we see at work in our world.
Worship with Youth
It might be challenging for youth to wrap their minds around Jesus’ bodily, physical resurrection, to understand how someone who dead could be physically raised from death. And, if we are being honest, don’t we sometimes also struggle to understand? It could be helpful to talk with youth about how Jesus’ resurrection is not so much about head knowledge as it is about heart knowledge. We might not be able to fully understand Jesus’ resurrection, but we can feel its impact and live into its hope. Talk with youth about how this is possible, how the suffering and struggles of this world are not all there is to this life. Because Jesus is resurrected we can live with hope and with joy, even amidst our suffering and struggles.
Worship with Children
Bring several plastic eggs to worship on Easter Sunday. Fill all but one of the eggs with candy (make sure to stay away from anything with nuts). Then, open the eggs one by one to show the kids the candy inside. When you come to the egg that is empty, wonder aloud how it could be empty- suggest there must be something wrong with it because there is no candy inside of it. But then, tell the kids that this egg is the best one of all because it is empty. It reminds us that Jesus is risen and because of that we can celebrate. Briefly recount the story of the first Easter morning, as told in Matthew 28:1-10. At the conclusion of worship, have small bags with candy available for the kids to take home (again, make sure there are not any nuts).
The Rev. Elisabeth Hartwell serves as pastor of Hiland Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Here are previous SOLI reflections for Easter Sunday, Year A:
2020 – Easter: Hands of Praise & Action
2017 – Don’t Be Afraid; Be Sent!
2014 – It’s About Time – Sort of
2011 – Easter: Good News for Fearful Folk
Leave a Reply