In the Orthodox Church, there is an interesting custom of blessing and distributing eggs to everyone at the end of the Liturgy. As members greet one-another cracking their pre-cooked eggs together the first says: Christ is risen. The other replies: Truly Risen.

Cracking the egg naturally represents breaking from the grave-as new life comes forth from an egg--so new life comes forth from Christ's grave. All of this is so much more dramatic and obvious in last night's vigil than in this morning's liturgy whose readings almost seem catatonic in comparison,

We find the women going to the tomb, not expecting a risen Lord but to complete the burial rituals, the embalming postponed because of Passover and the Sabbath. They are wondering who will roll back the stone that seals the entrance of the tomb. A rock too heavy for a single man to move. A tomb guarded by soldiers of Pilate--not an honor guard.

To their amazement they find the stone rolled back. The seal is broken. These macho soldiers acting as if they were stoned. Magdalene is the first to peek in and see through grief-filled eyes the empty tomb; and immediately feared the worst, that Jesus body had been stolen. In her anguish, she had forgotten all that Jesus had predicted in terms of his death and resurrection.

To move from grief into an experience of joy is difficult. Grief discolors everything. Even when the sharp edges of pain begin to wear away, there is a constant dull ache in the heart, the feeling of heaviness, which takes the spring from our step and the sparkle from our eyes. Grief so defines us that it becomes our reality; we are unable to see or imagine happiness ever returning. Before we can make that transition from grief to joy, we must first open our eyes not only to see the risen Lord but to see our risen selves.

In the first reading Peter is preaching the fundamentals of our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus to a Roman centurion--one of Pilate's senior officers. This incident did not happen on Easter morning, but several weeks or months later after Peter's own realization that salvation offered by Christ is available to all who will accept it.

This Peter which we find throughout the Acts of Apostles is so matured and dignified from the ruffian and wimpish Simon of the gospels, including today's reading. When Magdalene brings the news of what she has found; naturally they are all a bit numbed with bewilderment, like men somewhat amused by women's stories.

Peter, the most surprised and confused, no doubt still feeling the guilt and the same of his denial, runs to the tomb to see for himself. What a contrast from Adam who hid from God, who attempted to run away from his guilt and shame.

In next week's gospel we hear Jesus say: Peace. Receive the Holy Spirit, your sins are forgiven. No word of condemnation. Jesus did not become one of us to condemn us. His very name, Jesus means the Savior.

Yet still deeper than forgiveness of guilt lies the pain of shame that remains un-addressed. Two weeks in the gospel, Peter eyeing a charcoal fire, unable to see and recognize the risen Lord whom by now he has seen several times; when he is told by John that it is the Lord, Peter makes a deliberate choice to go to the Lord and to the fire rather than to run away like Adam.

And it is in that engagement with Christ that Peter finds himself and the meaning of new life. I think it is not coincidence that John ends his gospel with this scenario in clear contrast to the opening chapters of Genesis and the decisions made by Adam and Eve in fear and deception.

And what about our lives? Are we still living in mediocrity or have we come to realize our preciousness, our inner potential , to be a child of God, a holy person created in God's image?

In the second reading, Paul reminds us that we all have a part in the resurrection: If you were raised with Christ seek what is above. What Paul means is making the Lord the center, the one and only reason, the one motivating force or direction and purpose of life. It's all or nothing. It's not simply adding on another obligation to my life but rather transforming my life into the work of the Lord, allowing him to enter into every circumstance all the successes and the failures of my daily struggles - the unforeseen events, the unexpected calls to reach out with love and concern to every need and doubt and indifference in a brother or sister we meet. This is why the resurrection makes an impact on our lives here and now and not just at the moment of death.

We are called to be people alive in Christ. In fact we could just as honestly crack our eggs saying to one another: Your are risen and responding: I am truly risen.