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Today's Scripture
11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
*John 20.11-18 (NRSV)
Comments
Mary Magdalene, in the garden of Resurrection, is enlightened, awakened, converted to the new Reality of Christ. She calls him "Sir," thinking him the gardener. Later, she addresses him as "Teacher!"
The transitional point for Mary is being directly addressed by the resurrected Christ. Writes Thomas Keating, in The Mystery of Christ:
“Jesus manifests his knowledge of everything in her life and his total acceptance of all that she is. … The simple utterance of one word, “Mary!” brought to focus all her longings. … Thus, the same relationship with the Father that Christ enjoys is rising up in Mary Magdalene ~ and in each of us as we assimilate the grace of Easter.”
Today is Easter, March 23, 2008. And is this not the sole aim of Life of a true, spiritual Christian, and the true Church: to assimilate the grace of Easter? Is not a true, spiritual being in Christ one who is being infused with the grace of Easter? Does this not defy religious and political sects ~ all sects ~ seeking to own this grace?
For the grace of Easter to fill us and flow through us, we undergo many conversions. We go through repeated hearings of the Spirit of Christ, who leads us into the grace of Pentecost, inwardly speak our name. We must hear within us, and we must hear our name. For no one can hear for us, and no one can receive and share the grace of Easter for us.
The writer and composer Alfred Ackley heard these words: "Why should I worship a dead Jew?" This challenging question was presented to him in 1932 by a young, sincere Jewish man who had been attending evangelistic services held by Ackley in California.
The question played on the mind of Ackley as he prepared his Easter Sunday message. Rising early to prepare for the day, he turned on the radio as he shaved and was astonished to hear a famous preacher in New York say: "Good morning ~ it’s Easter! You know, folks, it really doesn’t make any difference to me if Christ be risen or not. As far as I’m concerned, His body could be dust in some Palestinian tomb. The main thing is, His truth goes marching on!"
Ackley wanted to fling the radio across the room, and he exclaimed, "It’s a lie!" His wife rushed into the bathroom, asking, "Why are you shouting so early in the morning?" "Didn’t you hear what the good-for-nothing preacher said?" Ackley replied.
That morning, Ackley preached with great vigor on the truth of the Resurrection of Christ, but later that night he was still thinking about the question his friend posed and the radio sermon. "Listen here, Alfred Ackley," his wife said at last. "It’s time you did that which you can do best. Why don’t you write a song about it and, then, maybe you’ll feel better?"
Ackley went to his study, opened his Bible, and re-read the Resurrection story from the Gospel of Mark. A thrill went through him, and he began writing the words to "He Lives." A few minutes later, he was at the piano putting it to music. It has been a favorite of evangelical churches since.
Ackley commented later: "The thought of His ever-living presence brought the music promptly and easily."
(1) I serve a risen Savior,
He's in the world today;
I know that he is living,
whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him
He's always near.
(2) In all the world around me
I see His loving care,
And though my heart grows weary
I never will despair;
I know that He is leading
through all the stormy blast
The day of His appearing
will come at last.
(3) Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs
to Jesus Christ the King!
The Hope of all who seek Him,
the Help of all who find,
None other is so loving,
so good and kind.
(Chorus)
He lives, He lives,
Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives,
salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.
This is to Easter. Living a life enjoying a certainty that He lives, indeed, lives within your heart.
Blessed Easter, Every Day, All Year!
* * *
For replies and biographical information, and submission to "The Light Shines" daily devotionals ~ a ministry of Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL, see next page:
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