Easter All Over Again

It's been five weeks since the Western world celebrated Easter.  Five weeks.  Five weeks is long enough time for even the most elevated emotion to dissipate into the rush, into the distraction, disappointment or just plain ordinariness of the ordinary.

I wonder if Orthodox Easter could be coming for some of us at just the right moment to remind us that we need the second resurrection.  By this, I don't mean that Christ had to die twice and be resurrected twice.  By this I mean that in our lives we come to this place of needing that second... chance? Opportunity? Word from God? Second touch of the blind man... Second cup of coffee...

I sure know I need it!

The first words out of Jesus' mouth on that Sunday morning (or early afternoon?) struck me with fresh reality today.  He was speaking to Mary who was standing outside the tomb, empty tomb, weeping.

Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? John 20:15

The only explanation Mary's world-view could offer to the mystery in front of her was that somebody stole Jesus' body.  It was an insult added to already grievous injury. It doesn't get much worse than that. It is the end of the world - Mary's world, not once, but twice.

She saw the reality in front of her - the empty tomb, the angels talking to her (?!!!), even Jesus whom she mistook for a gardener - through her the tear-stained eyes.  And she interpret that reality as broken as her shattered, broken heart.

What a mix-up! What misunderstanding!

But she couldn't realize it, she couldn't know it until she heard His voice, calling her name,

Mary! John 20:16

One word! That's all it took.  Hearing Jesus call her name.

And that's sometimes all that we need - one word - from His mouth, calling our name.  My name.  Calling your name.