Easter Faith

Matthew 28:1-10

Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026

Holy Trinity Cathedral

“Easter Faith”

A church sign is a good way to get people’s attention.  I especially enjoy a humorous message while driving past a worship space.  St. Alban’s, up the road, had one I liked for the last few weeks.  It said, “Instead of chocolate, give up intolerance for Lent”.  Other notable reminders:

“After this life, do you want the smoking or no-smoking section?”; “Church shopping? We’re open Sundays”; or “Where else can you drink wine at 8 in the morning?”.   But one recently was unintentionally funny.  “He is risen! He is not here!”  It’s a direct quote from scripture, but- wait, what?  Why would I want to go to a church if Jesus isn’t going to show up?  The whole point of Easter is assurance that God is present with us in the risen Christ.  

The two central sacraments of the Church are baptism and eucharist.  Both are signs of God’s fundamental presence which resurrection makes possible.  The water in the font plunges us into the death of our Lord and raises us as a new creation. Bread and wine are blessed to be the real presence of the risen Christ for the gathered community. As we participate in these holy acts today, we live out an Easter faith.  We are expectant of what God can make possible.

The women in Matthew’s gospel are role models.  They have faith in the promise of resurrection that Jesus proclaimed while he was their teacher.  They witnessed him die on the cross, and knew his body was prepared for burial and laid in a grave.  But as soon as the Jewish day of rest was over and it was light enough to find their way, they go to see the tomb.  It is the first day of the week: a new day of creation. 

This is an act of faith.  The women do not take burial clothes or spices to tend to the body.  They do not carry flowers to lay on the grave.  They are not even said to be weeping or demonstrating their grief.  They go in expectation- to see.  Notice they don’t take any of the male disciples with them.  Maybe real women don’t need males to roll away the stone or confront the guards.  Or maybe the men are too worn with grief and fearful of the authorities to show their faces.  It is Mary Magdalene and another Mary (we’re not sure which one, but she acts as the type of a faithful disciple).

When they get there, it is no ordinary morning.  There is earthquake and lightning, and an angelic messenger who rolls away the great stone door and scares the appointed guards senseless.  The unbelieving do not see and become like the dead.  But the women perceive the angel and hear his Easter message of life. 

“No longer be afraid: I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here for he is risen, as he said.  Come see!” (Matthew 28:5-6).

There is awe and there is joy when they realize the tomb is empty.  It is not proof of resurrection in itself, but a sign pointing them forward.  They are to go on to Galilee, to their new lives, and find Jesus present in a new way.

In their rush to tell the others, the Maries meet Jesus.  Their eyes and hearts are open to the possibility.  Now their faith is rewarded in touching and taking hold of the Lord of Love.  He has a resurrection body: this is no ghost or vision but a really present person that promises an ongoing relationship.  Which brings us back to this morning. 

When we show up to be church together, Jesus is here in our midst.  In the signs of water and bread and wine.  In the music and the words. In the person next to you.  When you are splashes with holy water, I promise you will not melt!  The blessing is a reminder that you are part of God’s new creation; you are touched by the presence of the One who loves and redeems your life with meaning.  When you take the consecrated bread in your hands, it is more than just food made with human hands.  In the resurrection, it conveys the presence of the One who feeds your soul and gives you the strength to go forward this day.  This Easter, we welcome two new followers in the faith.  Artemis and Ralston, this is a new day of creation.  And the best news of all is “He is risen! He is here!”  Amen.