April 16, 2017 Matthew 28: 1-10

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women,

“Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.”

So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!”
And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

***
It’s Easter morning and maybe he came in the finding of plastic colored eggs, or maybe he came in the time set aside for family, and the traditions of making lemon meringue pie and deviled eggs, maybe he came in the trumpet, or the, “Risen Indeed.” Maybe he came in the image of the dazzling angel, or when the scripture said, “Greetings.” Maybe he will come in the baptisms and the fidgets and answers of little children, or maybe he will happen just as you are driving home, because Easter is that thing that stops you in your tracks and makes you look out the window with awe and wonder and great joy.

As this day was dawning, a young male cardinal perched on the porch ledge, looked through the window at me, and cocked his dusty red head, almost in a, “You Silly,” sort of way. It was so simple and I smiled at my pouting self, “Thank you, God.” It was exactly what I needed. - I get all wound up this day about the things I am supposed to tell the disciples. I get kinda freaked out because I can’t preach an earthquake, I can’t roll away the stone, and I can’t blind you with the dazzling white of an angel’s garment. Nor do I tend to herald the crucifixion, and I can’t explain the rising thing, and that’s for what many people come (unless they were dragged by a loved one). But for me, even with all the glory in the first part of the scripture, I would be fine if all it said was,

“Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!”
And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.”

This is all I need. This is the Jesus I know. I know I can be sitting by any window and Jesus will meet me, cock his head, almost in a, “You Silly,” sort of way and in so doing announce, “Greetings.” And this, this is what I can tell you, my fellow disciples. Easter doesn’t always happen in the big production, but instead, Jesus comes in a million little things and greets us on the road. Easter is a crocus when you think Spring will never come. Easter is a new friend when you are feeling alone. Easter is someone sharing an answer of wisdom for a burning question, allowing you to move forward. Easter is a camera and amber light stretched across a pasture with life being born before your binocular-ed eyes, and the wonder of it all. In this way, Easter is not just once a year, but every morning. In this way, Easter comes with the dawn, with the Spring, and even in the mid-April snowstorm. A God of earthquakes and angels is a beautiful thing, but I like best, that Jesus meets us on the road.

Likewise, we will soon baptize two little girls, and when Jesus was baptized a dove descended from heaven and the skies opened and God said, “This is my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” And like Easter, some may come looking for the dove and the heavens opened, but I think there is something even more beautiful happening in the plainness of every day. In baptism, we claim that God has loved these two little girls from before they even were and as along as they will ever be, and ever be is a time beyond our fathoming, it is always. Yet, though baptism is about this day, it also about every day. It is the way they will be so loved and already are by this community, it is about the way elementary school Alex showed them were to go on Palm Sunday, it is the way little Sydney offered Avery to sit her with on the family’s first Sunday. It is about Linda, inviting them to Sunday School and Easter Eggs. It is also, about when they are Kate and Michelle’s college age, two girls offering on their weekend back home, to help prepare the hunt, and high-school aged Evan asking likewise. It is about who these little girls will become because God has called them beloved. It is claiming this day that God will meet them every day, and say, “Greetings,” be in a cardinal or crocus. This is promise of Easter and the promise of baptism.

And my disciples, these things are not just for the baptized, they are not just for the believers, because I have no doubt you too have stopped on the road by something that greeted you unexpectedly and you responded in awe and wonder and great joy. This is Easter. This is the promise of baptism. That God shows up in everyday.

and so, may we come, and take a hold of his feet, and worship him. Alleluia. Amen.