In the Name of God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Christ is Risen!  (Response)

Need we say more?

Our Savior has done his work and we are indeed saved.  The long slog through Lent is over and – ready or not – Easter is here.  Ready or not!

Ready or not . . . hmmmmm . . . .

I wonder how many of us feel ready – really, fully, and completely ready for the arrival of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?  I suppose that there may be a few of us – some of our really holy brothers and sisters – who know that they are ready for Christ.  But the rest of us? 

I suspect that the rest of us – the great majority of us – know in our heart of hearts that we’re not really ready . . . .  We know that there are still a few spots of sin that need to be sponged out of our souls.  We know that there are still a few dents and scratches that need to be repaired on our armor of holiness.  We know that we’re not quite ready for Christ.

And yet here he comes!

In fact, I betcha that some of us feel so ill-prepared that we’re a little worried that it shows. Oh sure, we might have on a nice, new outfit.  Our shoes may be nicely shined and our hair combed . . . but we’re a little worried.  Did we really keep a holy Lent?  Have we made our confession?  Changed our bad habits?  Mended our broken relationships? 

“Does that spot of sin still show?  I did my best to get rid of it.  I blotted and dabbed and said I was sorry . . . but I think I can still see a little shadow of sin.”  “Can you see the scratches?  And what about the little dent?  I think my new cope is a beaut, don’t you?  And it covers up the scratches and the dent in my armor of holiness pretty well . . . doesn’t it?”

I fear that some of us may feel so ill-prepared for Christ that we’re not only worried that it shows . . . we’re worried that we’re gonna be called on it . . . at least spiritually . . . as if Jesus, fresh from the tomb, is gonna turn and point and say, “Hey, you!  Yeah, you!  The sinner!  What do you think you’re doin’ here?  OUT!”

Well my friends, all those worries and fears are for nothing. 

Everyone, EVERYONE, EVERYONE!!! is welcome here.  That’s JUST the point!  Christ is coming for us all . . . the good, the bad, and probably most ESPECIALLY for the sinners and “misfits”.

 Christ knows that none of us can truly be ready.  In fact, Christ comes to us NOT because we’re ready, but to help us GET ready.

Christ comes to us to prepare us for the Kingdom of God.

Ever notice that all of the Gospels agree that the Resurrection was discovered early on the FIRST day of the week?  It may seem like a minor point to you, but I’m not so certain.  Ya know, over the centuries, we’ve changed the way we think about the days of the week . . . and it might be helpful to consider this for a moment to understand my point.

In Jesus’ time, the Sabbath – the day for rest and worship – was Saturday . . . from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday . . . just as our Jewish brothers and sisters still observe.  Sunday was the first day of the week.  Of course, technically, it still is . . . but we don’t really THINK of it that way, do we?  For most of us, MONDAY is REALLY the first day of the week . . . the day we go back to work.  And the weekend – Saturday and Sunday – is our time for rest.

And how do we think of this time of rest?  We think of it as something we’ve earned, right?  We may be inclined to give ourselves a little reward for having gotten through the week.  Maybe we come to church.  But in any event, after a good, long, hard week, we’ve earned a rest . . . right?  And we get our reward at the end of the week.

So what’s with Jesus?

What’s with this business of making the Lord’s Day the FIRST day of the week?  Think of it like a Monday morning.  The entire work week lies ahead of us. There is so much that needs doing . . . so many chores, and tasks, and jobs to be done . . . we haven’t earned a rest yet, let alone SALVATION!  We haven’t earned a THING yet.  We’re scrambling to get ready for work and get the kids to school. 

And, surprise, here comes Jesus . . . early in the morning . . . at SUNRISE no less!  The house is a mess, the kids are dawdling, and we have an important presentation to give in an hour that’s not quite finished.  Let’s not even think about those sins we’re trying to keep hidden.  There’s no time to get ready for GOD!

 And that, my friends, is exactly the point.

We can never do enough.  We can never prepare enough.  We can never be ready ENOUGH for Jesus.

We can never earn the salvation that Jesus brings us. We certainly will never deserve it.  We’ll never be really, fully, and completely ready for the arrival of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

And he KNOWS this.

Jesus comes to us not because we’re ready for him.  Christ comes to us to help us BECOME ready for him . . . to help us clean up the mess.  We just have to answer the door.

Early in the morning, on the first day of the week, he brings new life to us.

New life that has nothing to do with last week’s sins and troubles.  New life that is unearned and undeserved.  New life that is a free gift.  The old world of last week is done and gone.  Now in the morning of the first day, a new creation springs to life, risen from the tomb.  We just have to believe . . . and say “YES!”

Christ comes to us to help us clean up the mess of our lives and our world.  Christ does this by feeding us in the spiritual food of his body and blood – pouring his very life and nature into us in the sacrament of the bread and the wine – so that bit by bit we can become more and more like him . . . more and more Christ-like.  Christ comes to us to make us like himself.

Bit by bit, Jesus makes us ready for Jesus.  Just believe.  Say YES!

Alleluia, alleluia!  Christ is risen!  Let’s get on with the Feast!

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