By the Rev. Robert Blezard
Revised Common Lectionary reflection for Easter Sunday, Year A
April 5, 2026
Key verse: [The angel told the women at the tomb,] “He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead…” –Matthew 28:5-7b
There’s nothing like a spoiler to totally ruin a surprise.
Watching the movie Jaws at the theater many years ago, a friend whispered to me about a cinematic shocker just seconds before it came on screen. The effect? What Stephen Spielberg had intended to be a gasp-inducing image instead was just a yawner.
In the same way, it can be especially hard for us post-resurrection Christians to enter into the mind-blowing reality of Easter Sunday that the first followers of Jesus experienced. Imagine their astonishment, their despair morphing to joy, their hopelessness turning into wonder. Such imagining may be especially hard for Christians who skip Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil – which more and more do.
As Christians have for 2,000 years, we good folks come to church on Easter fully aware of what happened at the tomb when the women arrived. No surprises. We have long planned our Easter dinners, and we look forward to singing our favorite Easter hymns and entering the church fragrant with the aroma of fresh lilies.
The perennial Easter challenge remains for preachers to somehow convey anew the excitement, the joy and the holy surprise of the resurrection. And with it, to help God’s people steward their lives of faith, staying centered on the precious gift of forgiveness and life that God gave us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
One preaching idea is to tell Matthew’s account of Easter morning through the point of view of Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. What must have been their emotions after witnessing Jesus betrayed, arrested, tried, condemned, executed and entombed? In addition to grieving for a dear loved one, they likely burned with the injustice of seeing an innocent man put to death. On top of it all, they believed that Jesus was the Messiah. What of their hopes and dreams were executed and entombed with Jesus?
And what a spectacle unfolded as they approached the tomb. The details are stunning. An earthquake. An angel descending and rolling away the stone. (Note here that the tomb was already empty before the stone was rolled away. Jesus had already made his exit!) The words of the angel. And then the encounter with the Lord himself.
Such an overwhelming turn of events! A mind-spinning encounter for Mary and Mary.
Describing this artfully in a sermon would certainly help parishioners understand the Easter surprise, but female preachers are offered a special advantage. Through a dramatic first-person presentation they might creatively convey the emotional despair-turned-to-joy.
What to make of the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection? Here the readings from Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s letter to Colossians come in handy. “All the prophets testify about him [Jesus] that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name,” Peter proclaims (Acts 10:43). Paul writes, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory” (Colossians 3:3b-4).
The promise and joy of Easter still hold for modern Christians – maybe especially for modern Christians. The voices of the cynics and nihilists grow louder as our world faces the existential crises of climate change, cutthroat economics, resource overuse, famine, war and nuclear proliferation. These weigh us down in addition to our everyday personal worries over health, relationships, finance and employment.
It’s easy for us to think, as the two Marys and the other disciples might have thought, that there is no hope, no future, no way out, nothing to look forward to. The Easter surprise refreshes us anew: Just when things seem as bad as they can be, God pulls an upset. God’s love always triumphs. God is more powerful than all the evil human beings can concoct.
Jesus is our hope, our source of strength and comfort. Jesus gives us courage and strength to stand tall, speak out and get busy. That’s the Easter surprise. “Alleluia! He has risen indeed! Alleluia!”
In worship
“Alleluia” forms a big part of our Easter vocabulary. Traditional Easter liturgies proclaim, “Alleluia! Jesus is risen!” It prompts the response, “Risen, indeed! Alleluia!” All well and good, but the original meaning might be lost on English worshipers who see it as a mere acclamation of joy. In Hebrew it means “Praise ye Yahweh.” Celebrate Easter “alleluias” by creating posters or banners with the word. Put it on the cover of the bulletin – with an explanation of what it means. In an offering moment or another opportune time, reflect on its meaning and invite congregants to consider all the things for which we praise God, the chief of which is our salvation and forgiveness earned through Jesus Christ.
With youth
In discussion with youth, invite them to think of a time when they were feeling down and then had a pleasant surprise. Maybe they needed money and received an unexpected gift. Or they were feeling lonely and a friend invited them to hang out or go for a meal. Explore how the two Marys and the disciples must have felt when Jesus died on the cross and was entombed. Then let them imagine the emotions the two Marys and the disciples must have felt when they realized Jesus had risen from the dead. Explore what Jesus’ resurrection meant for the first disciples – and for them as 21st century followers.
With children
For too many schoolchildren, Easter is all about bunnies, baskets, candy, eggs, chicks and dinners at grandma’s house. In fact, even for adults, it’s easy for Jesus to get lost amid our culture’s Easter commercial hype.
In a children’s message, ask the children how they are celebrating Easter. Acknowledge that Easter eggs, bunnies, chicks and family dinners are a wonderful and fun part of Easter, but remind them that all these things remind us of the miracle of Jesus. How Jesus came back to life to give us life. And we are glad for that. End with prayer.
Previous reflections for Easter, Year A:
2023 – An ‘Oscar-worthy’ account of the resurrection
2020 – Easter: Hands of praise and action
2017 – Don’t be afraid; be sent!
2014 – It’s about time – sort of
2011 – Easter: Good news for fearful folk
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