Happy Monday!

My student teacher is teaching by herself this week. I am sitting outside my classroom working on various things and doing individual testing on the children. May times today my colleagues would walk by (including my daughter ) and say, “Is it only Monday or is it still Monday?”

I am working on my final project for my class on the Book of Common Prayer. The project is on the Great Vigil of Easter. Part of the project is to write the major themes of the sermon in just a few sentences. I became inspired as I read the passage from Matthew 28:1-10.

Matthew 28: 6-7 “He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as He said would happen. Come see where His body was lying. And now go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and He is going ahead of you to Galilee.”

I Can Only Imagine…
Mary and the other Mary are at the tomb when the earthquake came and they witnessed the angel from heaven roll away the stone. Their description almost defied words in trying recreate to the disciples what they saw at the tomb. Since the scripture does not say that Matthew was witness to this amazing sight I can only imagine that these two women recreated this scene to Matthew and the other disciples just as the angel instructed. These women were given the greatest task ever …they were given the mission to go and tell that their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ was risen just as He said.

Okay, let’s look at the last sentence of this passage; “…and He is going ahead of you to Galilee.” Do you suppose Mary and Mary heard that part of the announcement? These two women have been through a lot in the past few days. They witness Jesus murdered before their very eyes. They watched Him taken down from the cross and then tended His body in the proper Jewish way. They witnessed him laid in a tomb and the stone rolled in front of the opening. The One they loved so dearly and followed so faithfully was gone. Their hearts were broken and the only thing they knew to do was what Jewish women did and that was to continue to tend His body with spices. I can only imagine their quietness and each consumed with their own thoughts as they journeyed to the tomb, each carrying a part of the oils, spices and wrappings. Maybe they walked slowly in silence wishing with every ounce of their being that they were doing anything but this sad, but dutiful task.

Here they are at the tomb prepared to perform this last service to their Lord when all of a sudden the ground begins to shake and a flash of heavenly light forms before them and an angel appears rolling away the stone. What are his first words? “Do not be afraid!” (vs. 5) He is risen!” What are the first words spoken to those shepherds 33 years earlier as the angel announces Jesus birth? “Fear not! For behold I bring you tidings of great joy!”

God comes into this world heralded by His own angels to simple shepherds who are then sent to see the child and tell others of His birth. God returns to this world heralded by one of His own angels to two simple women who are then sent to tell others that He is back! God announces His coming with flashes of light and an angel’s announcement.

How did God announce His presence to you? Were there flashes of light or rolling thunder and voices from the heavens? Or was there simply someone telling you what God had done for them? Is it time for you to share with someone else what God has done for you? Just some thoughts for the journey…We can only imagine.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.








I Can Only Imagine…
Mary and the other Mary are at the tomb when the earthquake came and they witnessed the angel from heaven roll away the stone. Their description almost defied words in trying recreate to the disciples what they saw at the tomb. Since the scripture does not say that Matthew was witness to this amazing site I can only imagine that these two women recreated this amazing site to Matthew and the other disciples just as the angel instructed. These women were given the greatest task ever …they were given the mission to go and tell that their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ was risen just as He said.