For Christians, the events of Holy Week lead to the crucifixion and death of Jesus, bringing the ultimate darkness. But death and darkness cannot overcome the resurrection light and life of Easter morning.
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ who is the Light of the world.
The Gospel of John, in the very first chapter, describes the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. The light shines in darkness, John writes, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Here in the midst of this most holy of weeks, we follow Jesus all the way to the cross. The ultimate darkness will soon be upon us. Jesus, in this week, is denied, abused, betrayed, and finally crucified for us.
Soon however, Mary Magdalene will come to the tomb while it is still dark. This Easter moment is described in John 20, picking up the very themes that we saw at the beginning of John’s Gospel in Chapter 1. She comes while it is still dark and there, she finds the stone has been rolled away. The light of resurrection brilliantly invades the darkness of death and suffering. In this moment, we are all gathered into God’s great light through Jesus Christ, who has enfleshed among us the goodness, the mercy, the grace of God.
How grateful we are for this most holy of weeks as we follow Jesus through the darkness to the moment where resurrection light explodes upon us. As the sun rises on Easter day, may you feel God’s rays of light, opening to you all of the light God gives for your life.
On Easter morning, may we be aware once more that darkness and death are not final words to us. Light and life are the final words of God.
We are people of light and life as Easter day comes and always.