Calming Troubled Hearts: Easter Exchange 1: The Angel & Morose Mary

Calming troubled hearts: The empty tomb of Easter Sunday is the axis on which the whole Christian faith turns. Jesus is the Christ whom God had promised, whom the prophets had pointed to, who Jesus Himself claimed to be. The empty tomb means Jesus is forgiveness and life in the midst of trouble and death! And the balm of this empty tomb wastes no time in calming raw, wounded, and misbelieving hearts. Listen in, for these calming and comforting words are for you, too…
 
“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said” (Matthew 28:5-6).
Dear Fred,
In the name of Jesus, who, at the tomb of His friend Lazarus, sanctified all who mourn,
It has been two weeks since the passing of your beloved wife, Barb. After the blur of activity, now the family has all left. Their words and looks of sympathy have all packed up and returned to their normal lives. Meanwhile, you’re left alone, wondering, “How can life go on? Can it ever return to normal?” Someone who has been a part of your life for over 66 years is now missing. And the pain is real. Yes, you know Barb is in heaven and that you’ll see her again, but it’s hard noticing all the places Barb is not: The seat at the table, the armchair in the living room, beside you in bed…
In the Easter account, we find one case where someone “not being there” was good news: The women who had befriended Jesus in his ministry were feeling the shock of His loss—in the space of only a few hours, Jesus was arrested, condemned, and executed, but because of the Sabbath, they were not able to properly bury him. Seeking closure, they came to the tomb, expecting to find their friend. Instead, they found the tomb open, the bed empty, and an angel who asked, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here!” (Luke 24:5b-6a).
They were looking for Jesus in all the wrong places—they weren’t going to find him in the grave. Jesus is alive from the dead, the One with all authority, “ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things” (Ephesians 4:10). Our salvation through Jesus is so complete, Paul says, “He also raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6).
So where is Barb? While our senses scream “she is not here,” we know she is with her Risen Savior in heaven. For “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:32). Even when you visit the ground where Barb’s sacred body is resting, the words of the angel ring true, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” Though the distance between you may seem great, Jesus is still the stairway between heaven and earth (John 1:51). Even as you hear the Word, she is in our Savior’s presence. When your lips touch his true body and blood, so Barb is enjoying the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Though it seems everything has changed, the one constant remains: The same Savior who began, blessed, and concluded your marriage, is still the One who unites you. Though the places in your life that she used to occupy seem empty, within that space, Jesus promises, “I will never leave you, I will never forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Today, Jesus comforts those who mourn. His grave was left empty, so that your life will never be.
Reverend Joshua Mayer
Contributing Writer
Redeeming Grace Lutheran Church
Rogers, MN