Elvis has left the Building

I woke up first in my house on Easter Sunday this year.  This was good-  I would have time for coffee in my favorite chair and some time with God- just the two of us.

I have not been alone much in this quarantined month.  When I started reading about Italy and Israel on March 12th- I wanted to hunker down before anyone told me to.  I had a strong gut feeling right from the start.  So, March 13th was the last day I really was around people.

What a weird lent that led up to Easter.  I was thinking  about all of this as I sat with my Holy Trinity on Easter Morning.  I prayed my regular prayer:

 Lord, Invite the Trinity into my time today as I study Your Word. May You lead my understanding and teach me what you want me to know.  Mary, my Mother, pray for me.  Mary Magdelene, pray for me.  Saint Elizabeth Anne Seton, pray for me.  Saint Paul, pray for me.  And, dad- Kevin Barry who I miss so much- pray for me.

I carefully waited to choose the scripture.  I opened randomly to John 20.  I loved that it was about Mary Magdalene finding the empty tomb.    I read it, highlighted it, pondered upon it and decided to journal about it.  I had no idea that it was the gospel reading for Easter Sunday this year.  Don't you just love it when God winks at you?  I would see that wink later on that day.

Here is my journaling:
The Empty Tomb:                                    ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

Sometimes it feels like GOD has left the building.  At times we feel alone.  We may have chosen that loneliness, or life may have put us there.  Holy Saturday is a great example of feeling like GOD has left the building - literally for the disciples.

Imagine being the first to wake up.  It's still dark (which symbolizes unbelief) and you go to check on Jesus' beaten, dead, body placed in a cave.  What caused Mary Magdalene to do this?  The Rock was too heavy for her to move and she knew this.  What was she thinking as she went to the tomb in the dark?

We all know despair and confusion.  We have felt let down and sad.  Her best friend had just been brutally murdered in front of her.  She likely held His mother's hand and felt her grief, too.  I see Mary Magdalene as a beloved friend of Jesus.  She is one of my "go-to" saints because I crave to be one of His beloved friends.

She finds an empty tomb and takes off running to the other disciples.  Two come back with her.  Peter and possibly John.  Why just two I wonder?

They are still "in the dark".   She begins to see with the eyes of faith when she sees Jesus in verse 13. Jesus calls her by name.  MARY!   JEANNE!    (insert your name and hear Him call you by name)!  He calls us by name to follow Him, to see Him, and to be resurrected.

RISE!!

We are all called to a purpose, a mission, a specific something that God has created for us.  Some are called to Create, some are called to Lead, some are called to Follow, Some are called to Serve.  All of us are called to Be.

Alicia Keys recently said "We need to remember "Why you do what you do".  Opinions and judgments coming from the outside- especially to the creatives can slowly take over".

I bet this was challenging for Mary Magdalene.  The looks she got when she was the first to see Jesus may have been difficult.

Alicia Keys continues with "Are you strong enough to say I respect what you think but here's what I love".  Mary loved that Jesus had Risen and didn't worry about the judgments she likely received.   She remained open to receiving the love and miracle of the Resurrection.  She shared this with her brothers and only 2 followed her.
Let's not even get started with the possible comments from Thomas!

Verse 19 says that Sunday night Jesus came and stood in their midst and said, "PEACE be with You".  Mary had an entire day before the others saw him.  She went from early Sunday to later Sunday night with this experience.  Mary Magdalene likely needed to protect herself from external forces like judgments, jealousy, and non-belief (other's darkness).  It likely hurt.  However, she knew she was not alone or abandoned.  She knew it was not an ending, but rather the beginning of rising with Jesus.  I hope she was with His mother, Mary.  I imagine Mary believed and possibly had a similar experience not documented.  I love the thought of these cherished women supporting each other.

So, Where are you on your journey of rising from darkness?  What is your why?  Why do you follow Christ and believe?    Just like Mary Magdalene we know that

God has not left the building .

We are not alone or abandoned.  

Not even now in this pandemic of confusion and chaos.  

God is alive, he is strong, and he is counting on us!