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EASTER SUNDAY
Sunday, March 23, 2008
John 20: 1-18

A Resolution for the Heart

Highlighted Verses: John 20: 11-18
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; ¹²and 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. ¹³They 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.” ¹⁴When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵Jesus 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.” ¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). ¹⁷Jesus 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.’” ¹⁸Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Have you ever heard of a New Year’s Resolution? Maybe you’ve even made one?

A resolution is a kind of promise – and as we begin each new year on January 1, many people make resolutions – or promises – to themselves. Maybe they promise that during the coming year they’ll exercise more? That’s a popular one! Or maybe they have a special project they're promising to finish at last? I’ve had plenty of those kinds of resolutions myself.

You see, January is a time of new beginning on the calendar and a great time to plan ahead for the coming year.

I like to think of Easter in the same way – it’s a day of new beginnings – most importantly, in our hearts.

Today’s Gospel story begins in a very sad place. Jesus has died and his followers are hurting so badly inside. But Easter marks a new beginning – and just as he promised them, Jesus comes back to let them know that he is still with them!

Jesus is still with us as well. We don’t see him on the street, like his followers did during his lifetime – but in the same way he was alive for them, Jesus is alive in our hearts.

And so today – on this special day that we celebrate Jesus’ own rebirth – I’m making a special resolution for the coming year. Maybe you’d like to make it with me?

This year I'm resolving to live a life like Jesus’ own. I resolve to be patient, and kind, and helpful – especially to those people who need my help the most. I resolve to be honest and fair. And I promise to be loving – and to show the world the very same love that Jesus shows us every day.

It’s a new year’s resolution for our hearts! Let’s pray for it.

Dear God,

On this special day that we celebrate the rebirth and eternal life of your son, we are resolving to spend the coming year with the love of Jesus in our hearts. Help us to live as you would want and give us the strength to serve you and one another.

Amen.

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