What a glorious day!

Tales from the Sentry - Log / Mid Aprilis.

Dear Journal,

I think the world has lost it's mind. Yesterday, there was this really crazy scene of events that happened at Golgotha. This man, that people called "Christ" was crucified. This is the time of Pilate, so I can't say that is wholly unremarkable, but the series of events that happened afterward are strange.

The Man, Jesus of Nazareth, cried "Tetelestai (It is finished)", and died. Then the curtain at the temple was ripped, clean, from top to bottom. As if that wasn't bizarre enough, the ground shook, as if an earthquake happened and rocks all around split!

Now, here's the deal: The Guards, and these are loyalists - mind you - they got really freaked out and started saying that this man on The Cross was surely the Son of God. I've never seen men of such bravery become so terrified.

So then, and this is kind of weird, but his Arimathean comes along and wants to prepare the body of Jesus and put him in a tomb. So he wraps this furiously beaten and destroyed body of this dead man in clean white linens and puts him inside his own personal tomb. Clearly, this is the tomb of a very affluent man, so I don't understand why he would want to put the body of this deluded carpenter in tomb. And, there's a huge rock in front of it, and there is a royal seal on the stone. I don't know why the priests are so paranoid about this guy. But Pilate told them to send me out here, so here I am. All I know is He's dead. They are paranoid, so I'm going to sit outside and keep watch - make sure that no one comes along and steals the body.

And that's where I am writing from. I am sitting outside of this tomb, where the body of Jesus is awaiting burial. I'm getting hungry. I wonder if there is anyone who could bring me food from the market.

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I am now back at home.  I write this in reflection, not only with greater wisdom, but with guilt and regret, also. 

I don't know where to start.  There have been so MANY things happen - I'm confused.  I don't know what to do. At dawn, this morning, two ladies came to look at the tomb.  

There was another earthquake. Another massive rumbling from beneath the earth!  But the the massive sealed stone (covering Jesus tomb) rolled back, and the tomb...well, the tomb....it was EMPTY!

But in addition to rumbling from beneath me and the stone being rolled back, there was what appeared to be a flash of lightning.  I could barely look, but was almost blinded by what appeared to be an ANGEL!  It was as bright as lightning and appeared to be dressed in clothes as white as snow! 

I was so scared.  I know I talked about the guards being overcome with fear the other day, but apparently, they are not the only ones.  After all the ruckus, I was so overcome.  I simply passed out from fear.

I now understand that he has TRULY risen from the dead and has been seen around and about.  

Is this true?  It is true!  He truly has returned from death to come back to life!  HE IS RISEN! HE TRULY IS THE SON OF GOD!

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Chris here, again.  

Please don't be offended. That was my take on what the Resurrection would have been like from a contrary perspective. I'm sure others have waxed literary on this day, from varying perspectives. But, though the previous words are a fictional dialogue on an otherwise true event, the following is not fiction, and DID happen:

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.