Easter Sunday 2010 - The Smell of Something New

John 20:1-18 (NRSV)

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and 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. They 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." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus 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." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus 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.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

THOUGHTS:

Spring is coming, I said.  No, said the cab driver, spring is here already, you just can't see it yet.   My allergies reminded me that he was right.  I had a runny nose for days because of flowers I could not yet see but my other senses were telling me were real.

It's often that way when we face challenges and disappointments.  A relationship ends and we see only faults and failings.  A job or internship we had hoped for fell through and we can't see anything else happening for us.  The world depresses us. Someone we love gets sick or even dies and we see pain and separation.

Easter is like God giving us a new way to sense life.   When Mary got to the garden, Jesus met her there but she could not recognize him.  It was only when he called out her name that she really saw who he was.   She was so excited to see him alive, she about jumped into his arms.    

That's the way it is when we see life the way God does.   We find gratitude even in relationships that have ended.   Failed job prospects lead to new opportunities we could not have otherwise imagined.   Even sickness and death are ultimately seen as temporary conditions.

Easter calls us to perceive life with more than just our eyes.   There is more to living than landing a good job and making enough money to pay the bills and raise a family.   The strength and will to change the world found in the power of love that makes everything seem vivid.

PRAYER: 

Dear Lord,  May your gracious love resurrect my senses.  Save me from the dead end of cynicism and help me to see things in a new way today.  Amen.

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Thoughts by Pastor Phil Hirsch, Assistant to the Bishop, Metro D.C. Synod of the ELCA

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These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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Feel free to share them with your friends!

View or subscribe to these devotions by RSS or email from http://lentendevotions.blogspot.com

Also available on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7958874287

Lent 2009: Thank you -- live in the Easter promise of new life!

This is the last message that will go out this year on this Lenten Devotions Facebook group, blog, and email list.  I just wanted to thank everyone who read our Lenten Devotions this year.  I hope our devotions have helped you grow closer to God this Lent.  

We are now in the season of Easter, and we change our focus from the introspective contemplativeness of Lent, into joyfully living out the promise of new life found in the resurrection of Jesus the Christ.  

Also, check out the discussion of Easter and doubt at http://www.dcyoungadults.org/featured/easter/

For more information on our ministry:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University

  + Website: http://gmu.edu/org/lutheran 

  + Facebook group: GMU Lutherans 

  + Facebook profile: Mason Lutherans 

GMU747 Creative Christian Worship

  + Website: http://gmu747.org 

  + Facebook group: GMU747 

Additional thanks for those who helped me out by writing a devotion or few: Ben Masters, Chris Bergtholdt, and Katie Kane, Rev. Lisa Hufford, (and anyone I missed).  Thanks also to those who commented or otherwise provoked discussion.  ;-)

Grace and peace,

Ben Buss

Lutheran Campus Minister at George Mason University

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BAKE SALE: Today (4/13), Noon-2pm, JC East Plaza Sidewalk (to raise money for our Relay for Life team  to benefit the American Cancer Society).

THEOLOGY PUB: Join us as we eat, drink, and chat about life, theology, and God.  Brion's Grille at 5:15pm on Tuesday (4/14).  Rides from SUB1 room 207 at 5pm.  ALL ARE WELCOME!

SPECIAL INVITATION: This Wednesday (4/15), our "747" worship experience will be super exciting as students are planning and leading worship as a project for their class on "The Sacred and the Erotic".  Join us, and reclaim your body in light of the resurrection of Christ.  7:47pm in the JC Bistro.

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These devotions are provided by Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University.  Feel free to share them with your friends!  For more information on our ministry and events, see http://gmu.edu/org/lutheran  

Easter 2009

Mark 16:1-8 
1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you." 8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

THOUGHTS:

These women walked toward the tomb worrying about problems the stone would cause them, yet when they arrived, it was already rolled away!  They were understandably disturbed, and even more confused when a man sitting in the tomb tells them that Jesus has been raised.  Some of the oldest copies of Mark end here at verse 8, with these women fleeing the tomb in terror and amazement, too scared to tell anyone about it.

We proclaim the Gospel:

HE IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN INDEED!

ALLELUIA!  PRAISE BE TO GOD!

PRAYER:

Lord God, we fall on our knees in wonder, and we shout the Good News in joy: "Jesus is risen from the dead!"  May be dwell in the awe of that first Easter morning today.  In Jesus holy name we pray, AMEN.

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REMINDER: Carpool to worship with us TODAY (4/12) for EASTER worship services.  Meet at 10:25am for a ride from SUB 1 room 207.  

SPECIAL INVITATION: This Wednesday (4/15), our "747" worship experience will be super exciting as students are planning and leading worship as a project for their class on "The Sacred and the Erotic".  Join us, and reclaim your body in light of the resurrection of Christ.  7:47pm in the JC Bistro.

---

These devotions are provided by Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University .  Feel free to share them with your friends!  For more information on our ministry and events, see http://gmu.edu/org/lutheran  

You can subscribe to these devotions by RSS or email from http://lentendevotions.blogspot.com

Easter Sunday

HE IS RISEN!

 

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

 

HALLELUJAH!

Mark 16:1-8 (TNIV)

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"  4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' "  8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

THOUGHTS:

Lent is over.  We move on not merely by reverting to life as it was before.  We are changed.  We have not reached a final destination, but we have taken another step along the journey.  Spending time with God, we grow closer to God.  Think about the ways that you will continue down the journey, and the communities that you immerse yourself along the way.  Contine to pray each day about how you can live in tune with God.  Celebrate the spectacular grace of Easter.

 

PRAYER:

God, you are great in ways we cannot fully comprehend.  We thank you for freeing us through, and in, Jesus.  May we always strive to try to see the world through your compassionate and loving eyes.  For Jesus's sake.  AMEN. 

 

HE IS RISEN!   HE IS RISEN INDEED!   HALLELUJAH!