The apostles heard many times from Jesus’ own lips that he was to suffer and die.  Each time though he told them not to worry, because he would rise again on the third day.  Did they really understand what that meant?  Do many today still have this same difficulty understanding?  Probably, the concept that someone pronounced dead is now alive and well again is simply too challenging to wrap our mind around.

We know what death looks like, as we see death happening around us frequently.  Our loved ones die, and we bury them.  No one really likes death, because it is disruptive and permanent, but we know what it is.  While being raised from the dead occurs in scary horror films appropriate for Halloween; rising from the dead is just not a part of everyday life. 

Who knows what Jesus’ followers imagined when he announced he would die.  And then added, after three days he would rise from his grave.  His disciples hadn’t a clue and probably thought of ghosts just as we do.

After his resurrection happens, Jesus tries to be as he was before his crucifixion.  He calmly and gently appears to his apostles, greeting them, “Peace be with you.”  He displays his nail-wounds, cooks and eats breakfast with them.  What Jesus doesn’t do is scold his apostles for abandoning Him after his arrest.  While this is important for them, Jesus has another agenda.

Jesus wants to make sure when his disciples proclaim his resurrection, that they tell everyone, “He looked just as he did when he walked the Galilean roads.”  Jesus is as real a person as before, with his same smile and expressions.  Jesus was not a ghost.  He even allowed Thomas to touch his wounds, who afterwards declared, “My Lord and My God.”

Jesus knew many fake stories will circulate producing many more “doubting Thomas’s.” Jesus and his Father want his apostles as the witnesses to tell the only true story that survives the centuries.  They want the believers’ faith, of future generations, born from these live witnesses.

In this way, each generation will hear the same Easter story of Jesus Christ, the son of God and Savior of the world.  Jesus said to Thomas, “Blessed are they who have not seen and still believe.”  Jesus and his Father want followers who both trust and believe.  Not because they knew Jesus, but because they trust the witnesses who did.  More importantly, they want believers who freely choose to believe.

In using their free will to commit each time they hear it; the Resurrection story remains fresh and alive.  The Easter story continues to relate a loving and merciful God who chooses to stay in love with his creation even after they betrayed him.  Then he sends his son to make things right again.  Meanwhile, his son doesn’t count the personal cost endured to restore creation’s lost destiny.  God rewards his son, raising him from the dead and promising the same gift for his creation.  

Now creation can live freely, for no matter what their past contained, their future is now full of brilliant possibilities to live forever with their Creator.  Indeed, Easter declares that God’s unconditional love gushes equally, with mercy and forgiveness.  And all three are ours for the asking. 

Easter is the Day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!