Ascensioncast
Sermon by The Rev. Patrick J. Wingo, April 21, 2019
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Gospel: Luke 24:1-12
On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women who had come with Jesus from Galilee came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
Sermon Text
Sermon for Easter Day 4-21-19 CAK The Rev Patrick J Wingo
Alexander Sanders is the former Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court.
In 1992 he spoke to his daughter Zoe’s college graduating class, and told this story:
“When Zoe was three years old, I came home from work one day to find a crisis in my household.
Zoe’s pet turtle had died.
And she was crying as if her heart would break.
At the time I was practicing law and serving in the Legislature.
Frankly, it was a problem a lawyer politician was not up to solving, but I tried.
First, I made the obvious argument that we would get another turtle to replace the one that had died.
I got nowhere with that argument…A turtle is not a toy.
Zoe’s tears continued.
Finally, in desperation I said, “I’ll tell you what, we’ll have a funeral for the turtle.”
Well, being three years old, she didn’t know what a funeral was.
“A funeral,” I explained, “is a great festival in honor of a turtle.
Well, she didn’t know what a festival was either.
“Actually,” I said, “A funeral is like a birthday party.
We’ll have cake and ice cream and lemonade and balloons, and all the other children of the neighborhood will come over to our house to play.
All because the turtle has died.”
Success at last!
Zoe’s tears began to dry, and she quickly returned to her happy, smiling self again.
Now happy, now joyous, at the prospect of all that was going to happen.
All because the turtle had died.
Then, an utterly unforeseen thing happened.
We looked down, and lo and behold, the turtle began to move.
He was not dead after all.
In a matter of seconds, he was crawling away as lively as ever.
I just didn’t know what to say.
But Zoe appraised the situation perfectly.
With all the innocence of her tender years, she looked at me and said, “Daddy,” she said, “Daddy, let’s kill it!”
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For a three year old, something like the death of a pet turtle can be a traumatic experience.
Of course, having the thing come back to life and ruin a good party is pretty traumatic as well!
Three year olds can go f
