EASTER 2008 * Community of Christ
Jeremiah 31:1-6
Colossians 3:1-4
John 20:1-18

Do we have ears to hear?
Today, the good news of this Easter story is there for us all.  Can we hear the voice of Jesus?  Can we, despite our distractions and pain, hear the gentle call, spoken in a word?

In the last week, events have been compressed —

• We have journeyed together through the entrance of the city and into Jerusalem, experienced the intensity of a shared meal together, witnessed the betrayal of Jesus by one of us, heard Jesus’ condemnation by the authorities, watched Jesus’ torture, and experienced Jesus’ agonizing death on the cross. 
• In the last week, the building across the street, parts of it barely standing, is a reminder of the horror of a five alarm fire, and the acute loss, pain and suffering our neighbors and neighborhood have endured.
• We have been processing news of our sisters and brothers in Jiñocuao finding ways to live well with each other, to survive difficult circumstances.  Daily, we learn more about immigrants in our area being harassed, hunted, and ripped away from their families and communities.
• And, many of us have been experiencing intense loss, difficult conversations and transitions, roller coaster emotions, and uncertainty of health for ourselves and those we love.

And after this week of unbelievable and compressed events, we arrive at today. And along with Mary we stand in the garden, trying to make sense of it all.  In our grieving and with our tears and fears, we are searching for some sign of hope.  And we find that Christ is not in the tomb. 

Facing that reality, we assume the worst. Thieves!  People can’t be trusted, even in the death of a man who should not have died.  Where could Jesus’ body be?  Who has taken him away ?

Along with Mary, we turn to those other people in the garden.  These people in white in the tomb…who are they?  We look for someone else, and find someone who might be the gardener.  We hear the words, “Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you looking for?”  We try to explain our situation, our need, our desperate feelings…”just tell me where Jesus has gone, and I’ll be okay, I’ll take things from there.” 

It strikes me that it is in the second exchange for Mary that her ears hear, that she is able to perceive the unbelievable.  And it is with a word, her name.  She understands in an instant.  She hears for perhaps the first time in the swirling confusion…her ears truly perceive.

Jesus said to her, “Mary!”  and she calls him, in her familiar tongue, Rabbouni!  Teacher!  My Lord!  My God!
* * * *
As many of you know, Lydia and I just spent a week in France, touring with her 8th grade class to Paris and numerous cities in Provence.   It was also a very compressed week of learning, emotions, exploration, and challenges for 40 teachers, students and parents.  There were many, many wonderful things about the trip.  But for me the highlight was miraculously being able to worship on Palm Sunday.

We were in Avignon, visiting the Palace of the Popes last Sunday.  Some of the teachers and parents had talked amongst our selves about our desire to worship.  But as you can imagine, the tours schedule is set well in advance, and finding a way to break out of the programmed activities is quite difficult.  One of the teachers, though, insistent on his desire, talked with some of the locals in Avignon as we started the tour.  He learned that in the small church next to the Palace worship was starting almost immediately.  Six of us rushed off to see if we could find it.

Find it we did, and we joined in the gathering outside the small church, grabbing olive branches like the one on the altar here, to wave as we processed into the sanctuary together.  I found myself in sobs, grateful for the chance to worship on such an important day, missing my family, missing you all, and feeling connected to the wide variety of Christians assembled for Palm Sunday in Avignon — Christians from the local community and undoubtedly from around the world.

During the worship service, they dramatically read the Passion Story, as we often do here.   Because of my only basic understanding of French, my whole being was straining to hear…both the words, and the story.  Because the story is so familiar, I could follow it all.  And almost because it was being told in a language not my own, not my normal and comfortable way of hearing, I think I heard more.  I heard in a different way.  I’ll never forget, in particular, the wave of emotion I felt when I heard the words of Jesus from the cross… “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
* * * * *
Along with Mary in the garden this morning, it may take us one or two exchanges to really hear.  Or we need to hear it differently. And this day, and in all our days and all our dancing in transition and change, dancing in the face of death, evil and injustice…can we hear the voice of the risen Lord?  Can we hear the call of love and the reality of resurrection, despite the pain of the suffering?

May our worship today and our life together as the Community of Christ allow us to take in the full power of resurrection, and give us ears to hear the good news in a new way…As we say the words “The Body of Christ, given for you,” as we swallow the bread and wine…as we better hear the cries of the neighborhood, our city, and the world. 

May our ears open to truly hear the word, and as we take in the gifts God offers…may we be strengthened in our work to care for our neighbors suffering from loss caused by fire, to join hands with our sisters and brothers in Jinoquoa, to find ways to live out the Gospel in our day-to-day living, and to support each other in our individual and collective journeys of discovering and living with the risen Lord.  

May our ears hear the call of each of our names.  Let us truly know God’s promise spoken through the prophet Jeremiah — “I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued in my faithfulness to you.”  May we be empowered to boldly share the joy and power of the resurrection with others and build a world of love, and justice, and shalom.  May we take up our tambourines and go forth in the dance of merrymakers.  May we be among those truly living because of this amazing resurrection!

Christ is risen.  Alleluia!  Amen!                                                                                     — Dianne Russell