Easter Vigil C

[RCL] Exodus 14:10-31, 15:20-21; Psalm 114; Romans 6:3-11; Luke 24:1-12 A “dramatic” Easter sermon, as told from the perspective of St. Peter. Inspired by Luke 24:1-12. I want to tell you about how Jesus changed my life. Long before I was called “saint” anything, I was rash, overly zealous, and enthusiastic (and not always in…

On the first Easter, very early in the morning, the women come to the tomb with spices to anoint Jesus’ body. They find the stone rolled away so they enter the tomb, but they do not find Jesus’ body. Two angels in clothes that gleamed like lightning appear and the women bow down in fear,…

Every few years or so, it seems, a high-ranking ecclesiastic or cleric somewhere in the Christian world gets into hot water for appearing to deny the reality of the Resurrection. The hapless theologian’s name is in the papers and all over the blogosphere, and devout members of the church everywhere are scandalized. There is even…

Alleluia, the Lord is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed! That is enough. What else do we need to know on this most glorious of all days? What else do we need to shout? Nothing! Nothing at all. Our 40 days of Lent are over. We have prepared ourselves with prayer and fasting. We have…

(If you are fortunate enough to be in a faith community that does the Great Vigil as part of its Easter liturgies, you are blessed indeed. This liturgy takes a lot of preparation and is best done when a number of people are involved in getting ready for it. In many congregations there is a…

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same intention . . . so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God. As we gather here today in the empty tomb, it may occur to you that something fundamental…

Darkness has fallen on the earth. Jesus, the healer, the teacher, the one proclaimed “God’s beloved Son” is dead. His followers have run away. Courageous women watch from the distance and know that all hope has been extinguished. From now on they will be living only with the memory of his love and his words….