With Matthew  28:1-10

The earth is shaking.
Are angels descending?
The tomb is before us.
Is the stone rolling back?
It’s bright as lightning, blinding as the sun reflecting off of snow.
Of course we are afraid.
But we need not tremble.
We need not become like the dead.
Because the tomb is empty
and we are called
first to worship
then to go with joy
and tell the good news.

With John 20:1-18

The stone has been rolled away.
The grave clothes are lying in a heap.
The body is gone.
Mary’s weeping is halted by the man’s questions:
Why are you crying?
Who is it you are looking for?
Let us proclaim with Mary:
We have seen the risen Lord!
Christ is Risen!
Christ is Risen Indeed!
Hallelujah! Amen.

OR

Christ is Risen!
Christ is Risen Indeed!
The stone is rolled away, and we are perplexed.
The grave cloths are lying in the tomb, and we cannot fathom what has happened.
Can the words of the angels be true?
Dare we believe the Good News of resurrection?
Christ is Risen!
Christ is Risen Indeed!

With Luke 24:1-12

After nights of deep darkness,
we come in the bright light of this Easter morning.
We come in search of something.
We come in search of the living.
We come in search of the Living One
The Resurrected One.
We come with eyes open to the dark emptiness of the tomb.
We come with ears tuned to hear the angel proclamation:
Christ is not here, for he is risen.
Christ is risen indeed!