The last sleep before the big day

 What was the resurrection like for Jesus?

Joy is the first word that comes to my mind. Jesus died in, and with, faith. What I mean by this is that Jesus was a man; all he knew, he knew by faith. He understood that he must suffer death and rise again, this was the only way to rescue the ones he loved, his disciples, us.

It was the Fathers will. It was Jesus’ desire. But he had no proof or guarantee of what was going to happen. All he had was faith. (An understanding of the scriptures, a leading of the Spirit, a security in his relationship with his Father.)

He was willing, more than any other, before or since, to step out in faith. To heal, to touch, to call back from death, to speak honestly, even when it was negative.

He did this all in faith. He gave himself up at the garden, in faith knowing this was the Fathers will. I don’t think Jesus had many audible verbal answers to his prayers. Yes, the Father spoke at his Baptism, at his transfiguration, but I suspect that most of his prayers were offered up, like us, in faith, with no audible response, just with a trust that the Father is listening and acting according to his good will.

And so when the time was right Jesus, in faith, went to the cross.

When he rose, his faith was vindicated. It was amazing. He knew that all that he had hoped to achieve, had in fact been achieved. A deep moment of satisfaction.

And his satisfaction was not in himself, but in his Father, who raised him up. I think Jesus was deeply grateful. And very joyful. But not proud or boastful.

He didn’t appear to the Sanhedrin, or to Pilate, or Herod, to rub it in. He appeared to Mary, to his disciples. We are gifted with same faith as Jesus. We have the same assurance of rising again, as Jesus had. In fact we have much greater assurance, because we know that Jesus rose, and that he has promised that he will raise us up too. So death, for the Christian, is just the last sleep before the big day.