The Rt Rev Kevin Pearson, Bishop of Argyll & The Isles

April 5, 2015

Resurrection of Jesus – too difficult an idea or too simple an experience?

In his Easter sermon in Oban today, the Rt Rev Kevin Pearson read of Mary Magdalene at the tomb in John’s Gospel and said:

“Mary stands weeping, weeping, weeping because all she has left of Him is her pain and her grief and her love.  Too difficult an idea or too simple an experience?

“She thinks it’s the gardener who speaks but it is Love, Jesus himself calls her by her name – gently but confidently “Mary”.  She never moves but ‘turns’

“He turned her life around, Love called her by her name – Mary.  She heard the call of the Holy Spirit – too difficult and idea or too simple an experience?

“When Mary turned and she saw Him, Love, she saw all the wounds of crucifixion on His body but He, Love, told her – don’t hold me, don’t hold on to anger, disappointment, loneliness, the wounds of crucifixion – too difficult and idea or too simple an experience?

“And then having turned to recognise Jesus, Love, having heard the call of the Holy Spirit who called her by her name Mary wept but she wept her Passover of God.  Tears of joy because tears, the salt water of the Passover, has two elements.  The salt of affliction –  exile and the water of life –  growth, freedom.  Love – resurrection.  Too difficult an idea or too simple an experience?

“Then…. new light on Mary’s  experience of this Jesus, Love, new life – He turned her life around in Love, burst from the tomb of personality, guilt and death.

“Too difficult an idea or too simple and experience?  Mary said “I have seen the Lord

“Alleluia, Amen”