the resurrection wasn't on (our) time

a reflection on the resurrection

We all take our weekends for granted by now. But it wasn’t wasn’t always that way. 

In fact, the jewish idea of ONE day-off, simply to rest, was totally unique back then! Jewish folks were the only ones in the ancient world taking a day off. Romans didn’t get a day off and neither did the Egyptians. No one else did! 

And the wild thing was, the day off was an act of confession. The God they worshipped was not a workaholic. The God they worshipped rested. So once a week, God’s people did too. Every Friday evening, sabbath began and everything else stopped.

But do you know what that means? 

It means Sunday wasn't the end of the weekend. It was the first day back to work…

Easter morning wasn’t when everything had been lost. It was after that! 

After the disciples figured they had made the worst career move in history and called their old bosses to ask if there were any openings (starting salary, of course). When they went back to the grind, back to the way things always had been. 

After a weekend all the disciples would just as well forget. While they were thumbing through the “help wanted” ads, waiting for the coffee to kick-in, a few of the church-ladies burst in. Breathlessly announcing,“He’s not there! The tomb is empty!”

After they lost hope, had given it up even, and gone back to business as usual, Jesus showed up.

And isn’t that just like him? 

When we go back to the way it’s always been, Jesus shows up. And not as he was, but raised to new life. 

That’s what the resurrection is about. What it promises. God interrupting. 

Interrupting the nine-to-five. The way its always been. The ways we’ve settled. 

What Easter promises, is that God will show up. Probably when we least expect it. And perhaps even after we’ve stopped expecting it. 

When we were choosing hymns for Easter, Tanya said “Everyone wants to sing those hymns again.” 

And it’s true. We never get tired of hearing the Easter message, do we? No one ever shows up on Easter morning complaining, “I don’t care what you talk about, just not that same old story of the empty tomb!”

I think that’s because we’re always faced with pressure to give up hope. To settle. To go back to business as usual. And probably more often than we care to admit, we do. 

But on Easter, we hear again (and again) that God doesn’t.

In the end the Good News that Jesus rose on Sunday is more than just TWO consecutive days off. It’s the promise that God is shows up more often than we think. Not just when it’s convenient, but when we give up hope. When it’s too late. When we need God most.

So although it's still Lent, I think I’ll  say something a little untimely. Because with the way Jesus is, the resurrection probably won’t happen on our schedule. (And that’s what makes it so good)

Early though it may be, I think I’ll say (well actually, type) it. 

Alleluia! Jesus is Risen!