Artist Reflection: The Promise
by Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity
Inspired by Mark 16:1-8 | Acrylic & gold leaf on canvas

Just after sunrise, they come to the tomb. They come to do what far too many cannot do in the wake of COVID’s rage—to touch and anoint the body of their loved one, to provide a proper burial, to honor the life lost with a memorial. However, the women at the empty tomb are left with what many who are grieving today are experiencing—dread and terror. Mark’s gospel originally ends this way (we believe verses 9-19 were added later). Not with Mary
running to tell the disciples, not with exuberance and joy, but with fear and silence. The women are numb.

How could it be this way? Who stole the body? Did we come to the wrong tomb? Jesus is going where? Galilee? How?

The young robed man’s words probably feel like a mirage induced by their grief or lack of sleep—or both.

In this painting, I imagine what the women see in the moment before they turn to flee from the tomb. Instead of the dry, cracked desert, I imagine instead that they see the story of creation happening again before them. As the horizon breaks open, I imagine light and wind sweeping over a deep sea, giving shape to what was once a formless void. I imagine the heavens blooming like an iris, giving birth to glimmers of radiance. I imagine
darkness that still lingers—for in these shadows, there is sacredness too. I imagine the winding path they followed to get to the tomb, previously lit only by starlight, now illuminated with promise.

They may be overridden with fear and trembling, but their story does not end here. There is a way forward. In this liminal space, once again, God proclaims that their fear—this new, uncertain way—is still held within the promise of resurrection. For this, I believe, is the promise of this life: that the story of creation happens again and again.
—Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity

Daily Devotion: Recognize

Read: Luke 24:13-35

Reflection Questions: Where have you seen God this week?

Prayer: Holy God, you are right in front of me. So often we are face to face, and yet so often I miss it! I want to recognize you, but more than that, I want to walk with you. I want to eat with you. I want to rejoice with you. You are on the loose—out in the world. Thanks be to God. I will keep my eyes open. Amen.

—Prayer by Rev. Sarah Are | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org

Poem: Light

Written By: Rev. Sarah Are

In Italian, the phrase, “to give birth”
Literally means, “to bring into the light.”
A mother will labor for hours and days,
Breaking herself for you,
Whispering between fractured breaths,
“This is my body, broken for you.”

A mother will do this as long as it takes
So that you, her beloved,
Have a chance at life.
So that you, her beloved,
Can feel the warmth of the light.

And after all that pain,
The sun will rise.
The doctor will put a baby on her chest.
The mother will hold her child as if
Letting go is indeed physically impossible.
She will breathe easy,
And then she will whisper softly,
“All this time,
All these deep breaths…
It was love, again and again and again.”

It is childbirth,
But it is also resurrection.
A body broken.
Breath fractured.
A long night.
A sunrise.
Breath returned.
New life,
And a love that won’t let go.

Friends, maybe Easter is just God whispering,
“All this time,
All these deep breaths…
It’s been love, again and again and again.”

I think we’ve been standing in the light all this time.
Now that I think of it, isn’t it warm?

Activities for Children

Engage: Ask, “Have you ever gotten a present you didn’t understand? Maybe you opened it and thought, ‘What do I do with this? What is it? What is the weirdest present you have ever received?”  Ask, “Did you say thank you for that weird present, even if you didn’t know what it was for?”

Explain: On the first Easter morning, the women disciples got a really weird present that they didn’t know what to do with, either. Remember, on Friday they had watched Jesus die and were very, very sad. On Saturday, they couldn’t have the funeral because it was the Sabbath day. So first thing on Sunday, as soon as they could, they went to the tomb expecting to take care of Jesus’ body and prepare him for his funeral. But what happened when they got there? … Jesus wasn’t there! How weird! That’s not at all what they expected. And then on top of that, there’s a strange man sitting where Jesus should be telling them wild stories about Jesus being alive, even though the women saw him die with their own eyes. The Bible says they were afraid—I would be, too. We don’t always understand the gifts God gives us, but thanks be to God for strange miracles like the risen Christ who brings us new life.

Pray: Dear God, thank you for miracles we don’t always understand. Help us to be on the lookout for new life in the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Play: Have a puzzle Easter egg hunt. Put each piece of a puzzle in an Easter egg and hide them around the room, playground, house, or backyard. (Don’t let on that there’s something different inside these eggs!) Encourage children to go on an egg hunt and collect all the eggs. When they open their eggs, ask whether they are puzzled by what’s inside, just like the first disciples were puzzled when Jesus wasn’t in the tomb. Ask them to guess what picture the puzzle will form when all of the pieces are placed together. Then help them assemble the puzzle.

You might like to share one of these books on Easter morning with children to celebrate the resurrection:

• Petook: An Easter Story written by Caryll Houselander and illustrated by Tomie dePaola
   Watch a read aloud on YouTube 

• The Story of the Easter Robin written by Dandi Daley Mackall and illustrated by Anna Voitech
   Watch a read aloud on YouTube

• That Grand Easter Day! written by Jill Roman Lord and illustrated by Alessia Trunfio
  Watch a read aloud on YouTube