Today is the premium day in the Christian calendar. This day is the celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. It was the final vindication of his birth, his teaching, has miracles, his death on the cross. It was the first fruit of the resurrection that all his followers will share. In his death we all died and in his resurrection, we are all made alive now and forevermore.
Eastern orthodox tradition celebrates Easter morning on another calendar day, but the joy is the same. We often celebrate with breakfast together and then worship in grand and glorious fashion on Sunday morning. We may not rise as early as those women who came to care for His body and instead, experienced the living Lord. It may be a bit harder for us to experience that surprising moment and its accompanying joyous delight, but perhaps in the midst of the soaring hymns and scriptures we can still feel the joy and surprise of Easter morning.
The lost has been found, the deceased has been made alive by the grace and power of the loving Father God, tending like a mother hen over his baby boy. He is alive! Death could not hold him! Hate could not overcome him! Darkness could not extinguish his light! He is the light of the world, the firstborn of his daughters and sons! He is alive and present this happy Easter morning! “Christ the Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!”