Easter, John - New Life from the Tomb

John 20.1-18
“I have seen the Lord.” (Jn 20.18)

Mary shows us that the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection is not the end of the story. Jesus’ terrible death and then the empty tomb, which seemed liked a tragedy, is transformed into a new beginning in her life...and ours.

Just as Jesus commanded his followers at their passover meal, “do this in remembrance of me,” we are also charged to remember Jesus’ ministry by following him—his life-giving miracles of healing and liberation show us to our own everyday acts of mercy and compassion. By our own small acts of healing, teaching, feeding the hungry, we follow our teacher.
In Jesus’ death and resurrection, we see what it means to rely on God’s spirit, to do what we cannot do on our own. In a world seemingly bereft of hope, we, like Mary, have witnessed God’s amazing power for life.

In Palestine today, even under the brutality of Israeli occupation, there are many signs of resurrection, places where, against all human expectation, new life is emerging.....God is still, today, bringing new life out of the tomb of death and destruction and hopelessness.

This new life can be seen in Bethlehem and Ramallah and Gaza, where the children of the occupation are being given the tools for their liberation—education, pride in their heritage, self-confidence to stand up for their human rights.

New life is emerging in Israel, out of the tomb of militarism, fear and hatred, when Israeli young people meet Palestinians in organizations like Sulha and when Machsom Watch grandmothers stand up for Palestinians at the checkpoints. New life is emerging where IDF soldiers question what they have done in the name of security and they refuse to serve in the occupied territory of the West Bank and Gaza (Breaking the Silence and the Shimistim).

Once glimpsed, the hope of resurrection cannot be quashed. We have seen hopes for new life race across northern Africa and spread throughout the Middle East, as people take to the streets, throwing their bodies in the line of fire.

Even in Denver, I see signs of new life for Palestinians. More and more people are learning about what has really been happening in Israel and Palestine. And more people are protesting Israel’s brutality and its disregard of international law and human rights.

Watch some Alleliuia! action in Denver: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWmfp1KEIOo. These protesters are challenging TIAA-CREF to live up to its motto, “Financial services for the greater good,” and pull their investments out of companies that support Israel’s occupation and the building of the apartheid wall. (If you squint, you can see me in my bright green jacket holding the yellow sign “End the Occupation”).

Whether you have investments with TIAA-CREF or not, take action on Jewish Voice for Peace’s new website: www.wedivest.org