Easter Sunday, April 20
Full to the Brim with Awe and Wonder
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” – Luke 24:5
The women – Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Joanna – approached the tomb that morning filled with grief yet determined to honor Jesus. They had likely spent the night preparing spices, pouring their love and devotion into every detail. But when they arrived, everything changed. The stone had been rolled away. The body was gone. And then, as if the moment weren’t overwhelming enough, two dazzling figures appeared before them. In fear, they fell to their knees – only to be met with the most astonishing news: Jesus was alive.
Their sorrow turned to awe and wonder, filling them to the brim. What they thought was the end of the story was only the beginning. The promise of resurrection wasn’t just an abstract hope – it was now a reality. Their encounter with the empty tomb revealed that God’s love is always at work – bringing life from death and hope from despair.
According to Brené Brown, awe and wonder are essential to the human experience. In her book Atlas of the Heart, she writes:
“Wonder fuels our passion for exploration and learning, for curiosity and adventure. Researchers have found that awe ‘leads people to cooperate, share resources, and sacrifice for others’ and causes them ‘to fully appreciate the value of others and see themselves more accurately, evoking humility.’ Some researchers even believe that ‘awe-inducing events may be one of the fastest and most powerful methods of personal change and growth.’”
That morning, the women’s awe transformed them into bearers of good news. Their joy and urgency stirred curiosity in Peter, who – despite his past denial of Jesus – ran to the tomb to see for himself. His curiosity led him to an empty grave, and as he stood among the burial clothes, he was filled with amazement.
Curiosity is an act of faith. Brené Brown reminds us that, “Choosing to be curious is choosing to be vulnerable because it requires us to surrender to uncertainty.” That’s what the women did when they went to the tomb, what Peter did when he ran to see, and what we are invited to do each Easter.
As we approach the empty tomb again this year, we come with our own sense of wonder, seeking the ways Christ may reveal himself anew. The resurrection is not simply a moment in history – it is a living truth that continues to shape our lives. We are invited to release our expectations, to lay down what we thought we knew, and to step forward into the mystery of new life.
In a vision, Christian mystic and anchorite, Julian of Norwich, who lived through the Black Plague, the Peasants’ Revolt, and much civil unrest, heard God assure her, saying, “All shall be well, and all shall be well, all manner of things shall be well.” No matter what burdens we carry, Easter assures us that, all shall be well – not because life is without struggle, but because resurrection is real. With Jesus on the loose in the world, new beginnings are always possible. This Easter, may you be filled to the brim with awe, wonder, curiosity, and joy, knowing that the story isn’t over. There is much more living to do. Christ is Risen!
Risen Christ, fill us to the brim with awe and wonder. Open our hearts to the mystery of resurrection and the new life you offer. May we, like the women at the tomb, be bold in sharing the good news. May we, like Peter, follow our curiosity into deeper faith. And may we, like all who believe, step forward into the abundant life you promise. Amen.
Rev. Lane Cotton Winn