It is hard to believe that in 2022 we are entering the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been two full years of isolation, illness, and death especially in our black and brown communities. There were times over the last two years that we may have felt despondent, dismayed, and discouraged. There have been over 6 million people who have lost their lives during this two-year period. It appears that we are now turning the corner and moving out of this deadly period in our history. However, there are long-term effects in the aftermath of COVID-19. There are supply chain shortages, double-digit inflation, and those that are experience long-hauler COVID. Everyone is experiencing a little PTSD (present traumatic stress syndrome).

Over the last 2 years we have not really celebrated the Tridium as we had in the past due to social distancing and other COVID protocols that were in place. While we tried to put on our most happy of faces, amidst our masks, it was still different, and maybe felt a little disconnected.  

However, because we are people of faith, we believe in the promises of God that are written in Scripture. The promise in Acts 10, that those who turn away from sin, believe in Christ, fear God and live righteously will remain in God’s love and favor.

In the second reading, Colossians 3 implores us to set our minds on things above. We, who are in Christ, see things from a different perspective. In other words, life in this world will be better if it is lived by focusing on the power of the resurrected, ascended, glorified Christ.

In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb, sees that the stone had been rolled away and that the tomb was empty. She panics, runs to tell Peter and the other disciples. When they all return to the tomb, they discovered that Jesus’ burial garments were folded in the place where Jesus was laid.

A tomb is a repository for dead people and dead things. This morning my question to you, “What have you put in a tomb over the last 2 years that needs resurrecting?” Is it your dreams and now you feel too old or not equipped to pursue them. Or could it be over the last 2 years we have let fear bury our faith in a tomb. Our peace over the last 2 years may have gotten buried amongst the chaos that is happening in our lives. Our self-confidence or self-esteem has been buried over the knowledge of who we are and whose we are in Christ. Whatever it is that we have buried in the last 2 years, it is time to resurrect those things.

If you keep reading in this text, we read that Mary Magdalene has an encounter with Jesus. When he called her by name, and she recognized Jesus’ voice. Hear the voice of Jesus calling your name today. It might be loud and clear, or it might be a still small voice. Today is a reminder that we are a resurrection people who have the power to resurrect those things in our lives that have been buried. Take off your burial clothes and put on your garment of praise. Scripture tells us that God has turned our mourning into dancing. Today is the day we resurrect our dreams, our faith, our peace, whatever it is we have buried.

We are the witnesses in today's world of the resurrected Christ. This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad. Go and tell everyone you encounter, Jesus is alive.