They said, "A quiet beach with waves gently lapping..."
John 20:1 Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb. 2 Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!”3 Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb. 4 They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first. 5 Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn’t enter in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, 7 and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
11 But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb, 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 They told her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?”
She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!”[a] which is to say, “Teacher!”[b]
17 Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.
Footnotes:
a. John 20:16 Rabboni is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “great teacher.”
b. John 20:16 or, Master
Brothers and Sisters,
The Lord is Risen, Risen indeed!
Yesterday I received word that one of our churches had already celebrated Easter morning! From Immanuel UMC of Saipan came that wonderful word of faith that sustains us from Easter to Easter. They said, "A quiet beach with waves gently lapping was the scene of our welcoming the dawn with Mary Magdalene, to find the tomb empty." It is what we will all find as we welcome this glorious day of our
Lord's Resurrection whether we are gathering on beaches, on mountains, in valleys, deserts or plains! I believe that on this day through grace and the eyes of faith we will see our Living Lord among us! I pray that as the people of The United Methodist Church we will give true witness with Mary Magdalene and the faithful throughout the centuries that we too have seen the Lord. Let us give voice and life to this sacred truth so that all God's children and creatures may be blessed. With Easter joy and love,
Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño
Los Angeles Area Resident Bishop
The United Methodist Church
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Our mailing address is:
The California-Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
110 S Euclid Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91101 United States
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