Pastor’s Message – April 2026
“Where is Jesus NOW?”
By Rev. Dr. Carla A. Romarate-Knipel
“ But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” – Mark 16:6-8, NRSV
An Easter haiku
The first Easter morn –
No Hallelujah chorus,
Just fear and silence.
-Pastor Carla
The first Easter morning did not begin with the joyful singing of worshippers. There was no worship service with a choir or a praise band, no breakfast after a sunrise service, no Hallelujah Chorus sang at the end of the service, and no egg hunt after the service.
It was dark for sure, but only a few women, whose hearts were heavy with sorrow, quietly approached Jesus’s tomb. Even though Jesus had told them that he was going to be raised from the dead, it didn’t really sink deep into their minds. Seeing Jesus alive was probably furthest from their thoughts. They were looking for a dead body and they found none. Instead they encountered a messenger dressed in white telling them that Jesus has been raised from the dead, with instructions to go tell his disciples and Peter. Instead of breaking into a praise song, the women fled, with “terror and astonishment, and said nothing.”
The earliest manuscripts of the Gospel of Mark end here. As the earliest of the gospels written, Mark’s ending seems to leave the reader hanging. This must be the reason why those who compiled it tried to look for the missing ending from other later sources. There are several explanations as to why Mark ended it abruptly. One of the explanations that I find meaningful is that Mark wanted the reader to face his or her own struggles of fear and amazement; and allow the silence of disbelief and confusion to be the starting place for the journey towards faith. This stunned silence is understandable especially after the traumatic experience of watching Jesus tortured and then die on the cross. There is also the shock of the empty tomb. It’s bad enough to have someone you deeply love, die – it’s worse if your beloved’s earthly remains went missing. When one is grieving there is a need for something tangible even if it is a lifeless body. Not to have that adds to the pain and suffering of those who are in grief and mourning.
Mark ended the story with the women fleeing and not saying anything to anyone because they were afraid. Even when the man clothed in white had a message that needed to be told. We could relate with the women and the men who also fled and hid in a room as reported by the other gospel writers. Many times we are paralyzed with fear and don’t have the words to bear witness to the risen Lord whom we profess our Lord and Savior. And yet, I believe there is hope. The message of the man clothed in white assured the women and us today that Jesus is alive and that we are to share this message with everybody. To the question, “Where is Jesus now?” The answer was, Jesus was not in the tomb – not among the dead – he was among the living and had gone ahead of them back to where he started his ministry. No military or empire could stop him from rising as he said he would to let the world know that the way of war, violence and hatred will NOT have the last word. The Prince of Peace was alive and everyone needed to know the Good news – not just that Jesus was risen from the dead, but a new way of life and God’s reign of grace, mercy, justice and compassion has come in its fullness through Jesus. His followers were instructed to follow the living Jesus. There will be risks and dangers but ultimately because Jesus overcame death and evil, they too will overcome.
“Where is Jesus now?” Jesus is in our midst. Jesus is in all who believe and trust in him. Jesus is in the stranger, in the hungry, the naked, those in prison and those who are sick and dying. Jesus is calling us to follow him. Jesus is in all who take a stand for God’s justice and care for the most vulnerable among us especially the children. Having gone through painful torture himself and a cruel death, Jesus weeps with all those who go through such pain and death. But he does not only weep. Jesus has risen and will take all these and use our tears to water the soil of faith and bring forth fruits of joy and peace. He will take our fear and trembling and let them be the furnace where he will forge a stronger faith and a more compassionate, neighborly love. As Jesus’s resurrection witnesses we are to share a message of life not death, faith not fear, hope not despair. We are sent out to the world like the women and the first resurrection witnesses to proclaim Jesus’ message “to love God with our whole selves and love our neighbor as ourselves,” “to be peacemakers,” “love our enemies and pray for them,” and to “let our light shine,” to expose evil and overcome evil with good. As we do these, we continue to pray for peace, to love and serve God, the church and our community, trusting our Risen Lord to be with us every step of the way.
A Blessed Easter to Everyone!
Yours in the love of Jesus, our Risen Lord,
Pastor Carla
(photo and painting by Carole Hennell)
