Easter Sunday: Then They Remembered

I woke up with an old Spanish hymn replaying in my head, 

Porque Él vive, triunfaré mañana
Porque Él vive, ya no hay temor
Porque yo sé que el futuro es Suyo
La vida vale más y más solo por Él

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,

Because He lives, all fear is gone;

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living,

Just because He lives!

It took me back to Easter Sunday growing up. This day was always marked by two things: Sunrise service at 6 am and new matching dresses for my sister and me. We knew that Resurrection Sunday meant waking up to watch the sunrise in our small church, worshipping to these hymns, and rocking floral prints. 

When I think of the women who got up early that day after Sabbath, I realize they didn’t wake up with that same certainty of what lay ahead that day. They didn’t know it was Resurrection Sunday. They expected to find a dead body to anoint with the fragrances they had prepared. What’s also true is that Jesus had told them what would happen, yet in their grief, forgetfulness set in.

Luke 24:5-8  

In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words. 

Then they remembered.

Because even when we’ve lost heart, when our hearts have been troubled by pain, loss, injustice, or those waiting times that make the heart sick and forgetful, even then, Resurrection Sunday comes as a reminder that His words of life are true. He’s risen, and because He lives, hope is never lost. We do not ignore the reality of suffering, but that reality won’t keep us from remembering what is True. He lives. 

Because He lives, fear doesn’t have the final word, shame cannot silence us, sin cannot define us, and death cannot have us. ¡Gloria a Dios!