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During my reading for Lent I read about the history of sunrise services. The first sunrise celebration was that first Resurrection morning, when the Mary’s visited the tomb, and found it empty. There aren’t written records, but some historians think that early Christians may have gathered at the empty tomb to remember and celebrate the resurrection annually. In the middle ages it was common to observe the Easter sunrise in a graveyard. This seemed odd to me. I’ve been to a few sunrise services, usually they’re held on a mountaintop or at the ocean. These are beautiful, majestic places, where the grandeur of creation is apparent. However, I was intrigued by the idea of observing the sunrise in a graveyard—a place of sadness, formality, and memory being greeted with the joy and raucous color of dawn. It seemed too much of a contrast, but upon further reflection I began to think there’s no better place to celebrate the risen Lord. After all Jesus rose from a tomb, a place of tombs filled with sorrow and ceremony.
So this past Sunday, my husband and I rose very early and drove up the street to a large cemetery by St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church. We climbed to the highest point by a large mausoleum and waited. The light was blue and cast a grayish hue on the tombstones around us. We watched the light in the east change from rose to orange to gold and shine through the black tree branches. We read accounts of the resurrection from the Gospels and sang a hymn. Looking back at the moment, I can see that the beauty of dawn wasn’t diminished by our location. Rather, by keeping our eyes focused on the rising sun it transformed our perception of the place. It wasn’t a place of death any longer, but a place of life and beauty. A graveyard can become a garden when seen by the light of Christ’s victory.
Experiencing the Resurrection by Henry and Melvin Blackaby explores further what Jesus accomplished for us with his death and resurrection. He not only saved us from sin and an eternity of suffering, but He gave us strength to face every day with hope and victory. Discover what it means to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection every day with His abundant life in you.
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