An Empty Tomb

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. John 20:1-18

An Empty Tomb

The men have all go home
the morning still holds its chill
the tears stream down my face
my loss, so deep, so grave
it consumes my whole being.

Was it not enough for him to die?
Now the body stolen, misplaced
a cruel joke or a political game
all add more pain like heavy stones
piled upon my heart.

There is a voice, a whisper
comfort I never expected to know
there is light and promise
lifting me from my knees
lifting my head and wiping away the tears.



Woman, why are you weeping?
the deep resonate baritone
shook me to my core, so familiar
and yet an impossible sound
in this hard and desolate garden.

Mary! My name he shouted
my beloved Jesus, my friend and companion
my savoir and my teacher standing
in front of me alive, alive I say
and calling my name.

I must run now and tell my brothers
no time to wipe away the dusted and tears
no time to hold back anything but joy
no time to look back and wonder how and why
I must run to tell the others what has happen.

He is risen, really, I have seen him
believe me or deny me but here he comes
he is coming to be in the midst of us
to shine light in the darkness
to renew the weary and down trodden
he comes to set prisoners free and heal
all the wounds that you have hidden for so long.

Alleluia, he is risen and I will be
silent no more.

He turned my mourning into a gift
a gift of love to carry to others
a gift of hope to share with strangers
food for the hungry, warmth for the homeless
and love, and more love than we can imagine.

Run with me and shout let them know the story
He is risen! Alleluia.




The Collect

O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.