Roll Back the Stonek

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.                  – Luke 24:2-1

Easter . . . a season of new life, new love, and new hope. Scripture reminds us that it was the women, the friends of Jesus, who made that journey in the early morning to visit the tomb. I can only imagine what they were feeling…what they were thinking and believing…that the One they had loved so much had died. Would His prophetic words be true? Would He rise on the third day?

It is true that we all one day will have a similar tomb of our own. And, yes, many friends and family will come to visit the site. But . . . what will they find?

The sad reality of life is that many of us already live in our tomb long before the visit . . . the tomb of pain . . . the tomb of loss and of hurt . . . and the tomb of fear and doubt. We enter the tomb many times during our journey through life.

My friends, during this Easter season, it is time that we roll back the stone that covers our tomb and that we embrace the new life . . . the true life . . . the life that Christ wants each of us to experience.

I preach so often that eternal life begins on the day that you realize that you are going to die. On that day our focus shifts and we rejoice . . . knowing that we have a God who offers new life, new love, and new hope. On that day, when we walk out of the tomb, we embrace the light of a new day, knowing that Jesus is the One . . . the Friend . . . the One who visits and the One who walks with us.

During this Easter season, may you feel alive in Christ Jesus. May you know eternal life by experiencing the death of yesterday and embracing the new life of today. May your tombs be emptied and remain shallow reminders of what was in the past and what is the new hope of tomorrow. Easter is today . . . but I pray as your friend . . . that Easter becomes your everyday . . . Alleluia!

– Fr. Bob

April 8, 2007