The collect and readings for today, Easter, the Feast of our Lord’s Resurrection, may be found here. The gospel appointed for today is Luke 24:1-12.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. ²They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they went in, they did not find the body. ⁴While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. ⁵The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.⁶Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” ⁸Then they remembered his words, ⁹and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. ¹²But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.I don’t blame the woman for going back to the tomb. I fully understand that need and desire. It is only natural to go back to that place we last saw and were with a loved one who has passed on. It is only natural to try to hold on just a little bit longer to what was. It is only natural to want to reconnect with the losses of our lives whether they be loved ones, relationships, dreams, hopes, failures. It is only natural to go back with the spices of what could’ve, should’ve, or would’ve been.

I do not blame the women for going back to the tomb. I fully understand that need and desire. It is only natural to go back to that place we last saw and were with a loved one who has passed on. It is only natural to try to hold on just a little bit longer to what was. It is only natural to want to reconnect with the losses of our lives whether they be loved ones, relationships, dreams, hopes, failures. It is only natural to go back with the spices of what could’ve, should’ve, or would’ve been.

It is only natural, however, for us. Not for God. Death, losses, failures are not in God’s nature or God’s desire for us. God breaks all the rules of nature as we tend to see and live them. Tombs are unnatural and, therefore, forever opened on this day. Death is unnatural and, therefore, forever destroyed on this day. All is being made new in Christ – you, me, our loved ones, our losses and failures.

Over and over God tells us this. Do you not remember? It is in the story of the Israelites escaping Egypt and crossing the Red Sea to become a new people. It happened as Ezekiel watched the graves open and God breathe life into dead skeletons. No more shall the sound of weeping be heard or the cry of distress. We walk in newness of life.

God is true to God’s word. Remember what he said, “that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified and, and on the third day rise again.” It happened just like he promised. It always does.

So why do we seek the living among the dead? He is not there. Christ is risen. If Christ is risen so are we. As long as we continue to return to the tombs of our lives we will miss the risen Christ, our loved ones, and the life we seek.

It may be perplexing or terrifying. It may sound like an idle tale but we do not get what we expect or even what we think we deserve – the body is gone. The spices we brought to cover the smell of death are not needed. The tomb is as empty today as it was the day before Good Friday. There is only life.

There is nothing here for you in the tombs. Christ is risen! So get! Go on! Get out of here! Life and more life is waiting to be lived.