Showing posts with label Easter Sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Easter Sunday. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The Gardener and the Forgotten Baskets

It was the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring. On that morning, as usual, rabbits were scouring for food. Except for a gardener, they were alone in the garden until the women carrying baskets arrived.

Having never seen humans so distraught, the rabbits took a break from their routine. They watched as one of the women approached the Gardener.

Speaking to him, she was suddenly startled. At once, she dropped her basket spilling its contents. Oddly, she seemed not to have noticed the loss.

Mindful of their hunger, the rabbits approached the basket. Yet, they were drawn to continue watching this encounter between the Gardener and the woman. Surprisingly, the woman who had been so distraught seemed to have experienced a new life of awe and joy within her.

"Who is this Gardener?," the rabbits wondered. Obviously, the two humans knew each other. Puzzled, the rabbits recognized the man as the most unique person they had ever seen. He was human, he was spirit. “How so?” they pondered.

When the woman returned to the others, they too dropped their baskets spilling the contents. Not mindful of the baskets, they left the garden praising the Creator.

Soon, the women returned with men. The Gardener was no longer there, but the baskets identified where the women had stood. It was such odd behavior for humans, but no one picked up a single basket. It was as though they were of no use. Instead, the women and the men left the garden together praising the Creator.

Not understanding any of this, the rabbits instinctively knew that they had witnessed something spectacularly glorious. Since that time, on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring, rabbits around the world have shared baskets to proclaim the glorious experience of the Gardener.

© 2009 Leslye Colvin

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Resurrection Sunday Reflection (Triduum 3/3)

Alleluia!

Glory be to God!

Let all that breathes sing praises to God!

Alleluia!

Sing praises to God's holy name!

Alleluia!

Yeshua is risen!

Glory be to God!

Yeshua lives!

Alleluia!

How do I express this? How do I speak of this that I have witnessed? It was only a day ago, that I was at a loss for words to express my feelings. Now, only one day later, I am at an even greater loss to know how to share this that I have witnessed.

My beloved Teacher and friend lives! I speak truth. What my mouth speaks was witnessed by my eyes on this very morn. Every part of me proclaims that Yeshua is risen from the dead just as he had foretold.

We reached his tomb just as the sun kissed the horizon. We paused at the sight. Why was it open? We spoke not a word as our hearts began to race. Who moved the stone? Was someone else here to anoint Yeshua's body?

Entering the tomb, we see that his body is no longer where we placed it. Yes, this is where we placed him just before the Sabbath. My God, have they now stolen his lifeless body?

Resuming the trail of tears that had begun days earlier, I noticed a gardener. Maybe he witnessed what happened. Surely he will tell us where they have placed him and we will gather his body and return it to this tomb. Then we can anoint him as planned.

Oh, my God! That which happened next is truly beyond my ability to speak. The gardener, glory be to God! The gardener standing before me was Yeshua himself. He called me by name. I speak truth. I speak in truth.

Glory be to God!

Life returned to my body, to my soul as tears of mourning became tears of joy. Yeshua is risen from the dead! Yeshua lives! Alleluia! Alleluia!

--A follower of the living Yeshua