Easter Eve 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13: 1-17, 31b-35

I remember being taken to my first professional football match. It was Birmingham City playing against Tottenham Hotspur. I followed ‘The Spurs’. The ball was kicked around from one end of the field to the other and eventually a goal was scored by ‘The Spurs’. I immediately started to wave my arms and cheer only to change to scratching my head and coughing. No one else around me seemed happy that a goal was scored. I was at the wrong end. I was surrounded by ‘City’ fans and I would have been well and truly dealt with should I have continued to cheer. Well, I didn’t know!

Jesus has been crucified. But might things have been different. Both Nicodemus and Joseph were members of the Sanhedrin. They were also secret disciples of Jesus. When the Sanhedrin met to examine Jesus they were either absent from the meeting or kept silent from the events as the charge was formulated against Jesus for fear of retribution. If they had spoken out would it have made any difference?

The deed was done. Jesus had been crucified. Jospeh put his fear behind him and asked for the body of Jesus. Nicodemus brought herbs and spices as was required for the dead. They put behind them the fear of punishment that Pilate might bring upon them. Gone was the time to be a coward, to hesitate, to hide behind whatever cloak they could find.

Is not the effect that Jesus has upon people? The power of the Cross was beginning to operate, drawing people closer to Jesus. Even though Jesus had been dead for just a few hours his body had been claimed and treated according to the Jewish rites.

As we read of the immediate post-crucifixion events we can begin to understand the power that the Cross held. Those who previously had behaved in a cowardly fashion came forward in a new found strength taking centre stage in the retrieval of the body of Jesus. They, who at first wavered about which way to go, took the final decision to look after Jesus.

The Cross can give us strength too. Almost wherever you are the Cross can be seen on a church, or maybe where two lines meet on the road, for instance, making a cross shape. Turning to the Cross can give us strength. When we are weak it can help us onwards. Do you wear a Cross around your neck, or as studs in your ears – you carry the Cross with you, you have a constant reminder, you have a constant power source with you.

As you go about your daily life seek out the Cross and bathe in its power.

Collect for Easter Eve

Grant, Lord,

that we who are baptized into the death of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ

may continually put to death our evil desires and be buried with him;

and that through the grave and gate of death

we may pass to our joyful resurrection;

through his merits,

who died and was buried and rose again for us,

your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.