Easter and the Empty Tomb

Never in my lifetime have I experienced an Easter holiday like this year.  For sixty eight years I have had the opportunity to go to church, bask in the music, and listen to the message about my risen Savior.  This year in many states you can get arrested  if you gather in a house of God, synogogue, or mosque.  A weapon was unleashed in China that has nearly crippled our country.  We have quarantine orders that forbid gatherings of more than 6, some states have closed their borders, businesses are closed or operating in a totally different manner causing financial hardship for many employees.  Hospitals are at capacity and heath care workers are putting their lives on the line to care for the sick.  COVID19 has changed the way we socialize, shop, work and gather together.  People are financially devastated and expecting to be taken care of by the government. And still there are those who continue to flaunt the rules and take a chance getting ill or worse yet passing this virus to someone else. Those that care are staying in place especially if they are still working.  My daughters in-laws, Pop pop and Gigi have not seen Winston, Patton, and Aster since this began as they have the care of their elderly father. .  My hear hurts for them as I know what the ache of not seeing your grandchildren feels like.   I do not know when this virus passes, and it will, what changes it will leave in it's wake.  Will we no longer greet people with a kiss, hug, or even a handshake?  I hope not I have more faith in our resilence, it may take time but I believe that we will bounce back.  I look forward to greeting people with a hug. 

Timothy Cardinal Dolan  Archbishop of New York gave an anology that resonated with me.  In talking about the empty churches he stated that" before we can be full we got to be empty.  The essence of Easter Sunday morning was what? The empty tomb.  The broken, dead body of Jesus was not there .  He had risen from the dead".  The tomb was empty Jesus had risen from the dead. For those that believe ,his crucifiction and resurection have given us the path to everlasting life.   The "church " is simply a pretty building where we go all dressed up to meet and greet our neighbors .  What we have to remember is that we are the Church not the building.  We are the living stones that St. Peter spoke about.  Our normal everyday  lives have been  stripped away by a devil named COVID19. In his wake he has left anxiety, fear, and depression.  What I want you to remember is that Jesus is alive.  He is walking in each home and is sending his army of angels to minister to those that believe.  We just have to open our hearts and except the gift that he gave us.  We are not alone.  In our  forced seculsion we can shut out the world and move into a dark area of depression or we can reach out by phone and social media and share the glorious story of the ressurection.  We have church on TV and on the internet we can sing, raise our arms and praise God.  We now have time to open our Bibles and delve into the word of God. We are being emptied out physically, emotionally,  and financially  and when we are emptied out.  the Holy Spirit can fill up the void that is left if we allow Him in.    Tonight on the eve of the empty tomb I will pray that each of you will hunger for the word and will seek the Son.  God Bless you all. 

1Peter 2  vs 1-5  Therefore laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all evil speaking as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holdy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ