John 20.1-18

On this most glorious day, when we celebrate Our Lord’s resurrection and His triumph over sin and death there are many great traditions that have grown and developed around the world.

We are all familiar with presenting EASTER eggs, spotting the EASTER bunny and rolling hard boiled, decorated eggs down a grassy, daffodil strewn hill – but what about other traditions from around the globe. I’ll tell you a tradition and let’s see if you can guess which country it comes from (see end of this sermon for answers):

1. There is one tradition which involves young men and boys roaming the streets with brightly decorated willow sticks, usually adorned with ribbons, looking for girls to playfully whip – the whipping is not intended to be painful, but instead is meant to ‘check’ the girls for good health and beauty.

2. On your way to the Caribbean, you could stop off at a tiny island nation where there is a tradition of flying kites shaped like hexagons. These are meant to remind you of Jesus rising from the dead. One of my sisters lives there and the first time she saw this, she was puzzled – in fact it completely ‘bemused ‘er’ .

3. In another country, the mystery of Easter is emphasised through the flooding of television channels, books and even milk cartons with short crime stories – usually so complicated that there is ‘no way’ that viewers and readers can work out whodunnit,

On this day lots of other crazy and amazing things go on – eating red eggs in Greece, decorating holy places with tobacco and cigarettes in Papua New Guinea and even dressing up as witches in Finland – to scare all bad spirits from area on this most holy of days.

It’s all good fun and just a little bit bonkers – what people will get up to on Easter Sunday – I’ve even heard of some people, all around the world who gather in stone or wooden buildings, or in open areas and proclaim that about two thousand years ago a man was crucified and then three days later rose from the dead – and that this man was the son of God! Who would believe something so unbelievable?

To be serious, this is of course what we are doing. We are gathered here together first and foremost to worship almighty God through His Son, Jesus Christ. To give thanks and praise for His sacrifice and His eternal message of salvation and to acknowledge that through our baptism, we belong to Him.

But we also come to church at Easter for a whole host of reasons that are bound up in this message.  We come to church at Easter because that is what our family has always done, and the continued observation of Easter somehow connects us to the past, present, and future, creating a sense of belonging and identity. 

We come to church at Easter, because we long for a good word – a reminder that even in a tumultuous world, there is the promise of resurrection life, joy, and hope. 

We come to church at Easter because we love the music, the flowers, the Easter attire, and the experience of being a part of community. 

And some of us might not be sure why we come to church at Easter, but we suspect, or at least hope, we will find something that can revive our weary souls.

I suspect what most of us are hoping for today is an experience like Mary Magdalene’s.  I am not sure Mary knew why she went to the tomb all those years ago. 

In John’s gospel, Mary is not there with spices to anoint Jesus’ body.  She does not bring flowers or some memento to leave at the tomb.  In fact, she comes to the tomb in darkness, before the morning light has arisen, perhaps in a fog of knowing that she needs something, but not sure what that something might be. 

And then, maybe not unlike the chaos that may have been our morning to get here on time and half-way presentable, Mary’s life  gets thrown into chaos.  An empty tomb means she and the disciples run around like headless chickens. 

Later, Mary finds herself bemoaning to angels and a stranger alike that she just wants Jesus’ body – a physical reminder of all the horror and love and pain that has happened.  And in the midst of this chaos, a simple, profound thing happens.  Mary is called by her name.  And her world gets turned on its head.

There is something very powerful about being called by your name.  Many of us frequent restaurants, pubs or coffee shops because we love being recognised by name by our favourite restraunter, publican or shop keeper. 

If you have ever received a blessing or healing prayer by a person who knew your name, you will know the intimacy that is created between the two of you, and the power of hearing your name lifted up to God. 

Being known by name creates a feeling of acceptance, affirmation, affection, and acknowledgement. We can only imagine the rush of emotions when Jesus calls Mary by name today – not just the recognition of who Jesus is, but the reminder of how much he has loved her.

I suspect we should add that to the list of reasons why we come to church on Easter Sunday. 

We want to be known too.  Perhaps we want to literally be called by name.  But perhaps we know just being here creates the same sense of belonging that being known by name creates. 

When we sit in these pews, we know that we are sitting close to someone who, today, is somehow searching for a sense of belonging too – who also rallied to get to church on time this morning.

When we sit here, we know that we are surrounded by a group of people who also love having their senses overwhelmed – from the smell of fragrant flowers, the joyous sound of music, the taste of communion bread, the sight of fanfare and smiles, being able to look into another’s eyes at the peace. 

In these seats today, we know that we will be offered a word of joy, light, love, hope – and we want our lives to be marked by that same sense of promise.

Now we may feel tempted to take all that affirmation, all that encouragement, and joy, and go about for the next few days on our own personal high – as though the gifts we receive today are solely for us. 

But what all this fanfare, this acknowledgment, and this hope are meant to do is to propel us out into the world. 

When Mary is called by name, receiving the blessing of recognition and encouragement, she does not stay at the feet of the resurrected Jesus. 

She becomes John’s gospel’s first preacher.  “I have seen the Lord,” Mary says to the disciples. 

Now I know some of us will go out from this place today and do just that – we will put on our Facebook page, “Alleluia, Christ is Risen!” or we will exchange EASTER cards to tell each other what a joyous day this is. 

But for others of us, sharing today’s joy may take us a little more time, or may look a bit different from proclaiming, “I have seen the Lord,” to our favourite publican. 

What Mary invites us to do today is find our own way of sharing the beautiful gift we receive – to give someone else the gift of joy and hope, to quietly tell a friend what has happened this day, or to simply call someone else by name – sharing that same sense of belonging and affirmation you receive today.  

You came to church this Easter Sunday for something.  Mary invites you to give that something to someone else. 

Amen.  Alleluia!

Answers to traditions from different countries –

1. – Czech Republic.
2. – Bermuda.
3. – Norway.

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