“Alleluia! Christ is Risen!” - An Easter Reflection from the Rt. Rev. Dr. David G. Read, D.D., Bishop of West Texas

Dear Clergy & People of West Texas,

The Gospel reading appointed for Easter Sunday this year is from John 20.  John tells us there was much running on Easter morning.  Mary Magdalene finds the tomb empty, with the stone rolled away.  She ran to tell Simon Peter and the beloved disciple.  Peter and the beloved disciple take off running to see the tomb for themselves.  They both entered the tomb, but Mary stood outside weeping.  After the disciples returned to their homes, Mary Magdalene first encountered two angels who asked, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”  Then she encountered Jesus himself – very much risen and very much alive.  

On Easter morning, Mary Magdalene’s heart was transformed.  Upon finding the tomb empty, her heart was filled with shock, unanswered questions and deep sorrow.  Moments later, when her risen Lord called her by name, that fear and despair was transformed into joy and hope.  Mary then went and shared that joy and hope with Jesus’ followers.

Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we too, shall be raised.  As the Easter hymn proclaims, “death is conquered, we are free, Christ has won the victory.”  Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we are liberated from fear, sin, guilt, and all in our past that weighs us down.  Like Mary Magdelene, our hearts are filled with joy and hope at the presence of our risen Lord.  

We live in a time when the world around us needs a lot of joy and hope.  Just this last week our newsfeeds have been filled with stories of stock market tumbles, a hospital bombing in Gaza, and much to bring us despair.  On Easter morning we rise to sing “Jesus Christ is risen today!” celebrating that death does not have the final say, and God’s love is greater than anything this world can throw at us.  

I pray this Easter that like those early disciples, we will feel like running.  I pray that we will rise on Easter morning to don running shoes instead of dress shoes.  I pray we will feel impatient to run and share the good news of hope and joy that we find in Christ Jesus.  I pray that with hearts transformed by the power of God’s love we joyfully proclaim, “Alleluia! Christ is Risen!”

Peace,

+David

The Rt. Rev. Dr. David G. Read, D.D.
Bishop of West Texas