Easter

I’ve been talking about “marked” moments.   The Sunday after Easter we read the story in I Samuel about Samuel putting up a marker to commemorate or remember that God had helped them, how Go had been with them so far.   He places a “marker” stone… an “Ebenezer” stone.

Over the last few Sundays I’ve talked about how we mark moments in our lives; moments of joy – birthdays, anniversaries, adoptions dates, times and places in our lives and in the lives of others    to remember, to celebrate the joy again

Some of these moments start out as joy; the birth of a child, a grandchild, a wedding filled with happiness.   I’ve been to a few weddings since I’ve been here in this congregation.   Some have been here in this building, some on the beach, some in other places – and other states even.   They’ve all been filled with happy moments, with happy people.  

These special moments are special for a reason!   And we can look back on them as markers of some special times – just look back on some wedding pictures, or old mvies of weddings, and it’ll all come back again.   These are events that have changed things.   They’ve changed how we live in some way. 

The first time I saw my daughter was like that.   When we were in court for the adoption order.  

The time my wife told me her water broke… I remember that too as a marked moment.   It was evening, and we were getting ready for bed.   She was standing by the bathroom door when she called my name “Chad?! … Chad!”   “What’s going on?”    “My water broke!”   I’m thinking about getting bags, about what we need for the hospital… she started gathering items for laundry.   “What are you doing?” I asked.    “Laundry,”  she said, “I can’t go to the hospital knowing I have to come back wanting these things clean."  So she started laundry to wash bedding and things like that.   I have to tell you  - that moment is marked!

In fact they’re all marked in my heart.  They’re all special.     I know you have moments like that yourself.

But there’s some moments that are marked like that for their heavier significance; September 11^th, 2001, the Newtown shooting, the Boston bombing.   I think it doesn’t make much difference why these two young men did what they did… we may learn the reason, but the reality is it doesn’t change any results.  

I remember when I heard about my father’s death, and I remember the moment my mother died.   I’m still not fully adjusted yet I think… it still sounds strange talking about them in the past tense.

You may be able to remember some of your own darker moments impressed into your memory and heart. 

But in each of these tragedies… in each of these darker marked moments    there’s been something positive;

            Some light that’s been shined in the darkness

            Some small blessing that may have come from such tragedy

            Some reminder of God’s presence

            Something the reminds us we’re all in this together as a human family.

   In Boston over and over there were examples lifted up of people who ran towards the smoke and blood to help their fellow brothers and sisters.  People who’s names won’t be remembered except by the ones they aided.   

As much as I miss my mother, I was touched by stories of people telling me how much she meant to them.   And although I knew this before -while they were alive- I’m reminded that the best I can do to honor my parents memory is to live as good a live as I can. 

In today’s reading, by the power of God, Peter raises Tabitha from the dead.   He questions is; what kind of a life can we raise from those darker “marked” moments in our lives?   How can we be present with God as God’s power raises a light in the darkness?   How can we help others as they struggle…   trying to make sense of something that may not have any… trying to live again?    How can we speak words of life in the midst of death

All this is still part of the Easter story!   Easter doesn’t mean forgetting the “holy Weeks” of our lives.   Easter doesn’t mean hiding the pain and suffering and struggles of our life.   It’s not about denial.   No matter how much you want to pretend it’s not there… you really do still know.  

Easter means recognizing these things exist.   But it also means that death, and pain, and sorrow and tragedy are not the end of the story!   Easter is about being open to the Holy and sacred and life anew… in spite of the darkness that does in fact exist.    Easter may in fact boil down to a choice.  As Moses said to his people just as they were about to cross over into the Promised Land…    you have a choice in front of you; blessing or curse, life or death… choose life.