This evening as we gather to celebrate the Easter Vigil, the weatherman tells us it will be below freezing tonight with a wind advisory…a forecast more like late winter than early spring. Yet here we are surrounded by the beauty and the splendor of spring flowers and the wondrous story of resurrection and new life. And we are reminded that as we enter into this mystery of our faith, each Easter is different; our perspective and experience of life is unique and reflective of where we find ourselves on that journey.

But one thing is certain about each and every celebration of Easter and that is that it always begins in the dark, in the cold, in the barrenness of a dank tomb. On Friday evening we left Jesus, lifeless on a cross, to be buried in a borrowed tomb, to be guarded by hostile soldiers. On Friday evening we left his followers in shock and grief – his scattered apostles and His devoted female followers devastated and horrified at the cruelty of His death. They spent their day of the Sabbath, huddled in fear and commiserating with each other. What now, where do we go, what do we do…..have we all been duped.

Then early on the first day of the week, in that cold dark of the pre-dawn hour, the women of the group set out on their sad journey to the tomb, with oils and spices to properly prepare the body of their Lord. And what they discover is indeed a cold, dank, lifeless tomb – but an empty one, devoid of the body of Jesus. More confusion and fear: What could it all mean? When angels appear and simply ask “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?”

The dank chill of the tomb is all of a sudden transformed into the bright warmth of the garden in morning light: The Lord is Risen as He said. Death has no more power over Him. And life is changed forever.

Nonsense of course is the initial response among the apostles. But they too come to the empty tomb and encounter the light and the warmth of resurrection.

We all know the rest of the story and the details that follow. All these years later, we continue to be flabbergasted by the news that is so hard to believe: Jesus actually Rose from the dead and death has no more power over us either.

Today we celebrate life: life in the beauty of springtime; life from the flowing waters of Baptism; Life at all stages in the warmth of togetherness and community; Life that even death on a cross cannot destroy.

Today we gather as a people infused with the Life of Easter. May its warmth and brightness and refreshment be shared and flow out into a world hungry to receive that message.