He Is Risen

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
I love that traditional Easter greeting! My mom used to wake us up on Easter morning with a shout of "He is risen!," and we quickly learned to rub our eyes and shout back, simultaneously jumping out of bed in quest of chocolate, "He is risen indeed!" Where I come from, the resurrection of Jesus is something to be celebrated - and loudly!
I've been in lots of different churches, even different brands of churches. Some of them stoically read the story of the resurrection from their bulletin (where good secretaries such as myself have printed it for ease of use), some of them have worship teams that plan elaborate shows of celebration with banners and dancers and the most modern worship choruses, and a few of them have that lone holy roller. You know the one? He runs down the aisle, Easter or not, and shouts something while he waves his hands in the air. Everyone just smiles and laughs a bit. He gets to the front and falls on his face before the altar, overcome with emotion at the gift of salvation that he has received.
The thing is, he's the Lone Holy Roller. I am always uncomfortable with that. If I really believe that Jesus Christ was God's only son - sent to live in fleshly form with the purpose of dying so that I might be saved, and then being resurrected, defeating sin and death - if I believe it...why am I not jumping up and down in celebration of the resurrection? Especially on Easter morning?!?! Why isn't everybody in the building doing that?
So I pull out the old Keith Green Easter song every year, the one every church has used in their Easter production as long as I can remember, and crank it up on Resurrection Sunday. I run into my kids' rooms and shout, "He is risen!" My husband thinks I'm a little nuts. But my kids, now that they are older, are starting to answer back, "He is risen indeed!" and it moves me to tears just thinking of it. Because I, for one, really believe it. How can I help myself, then?
We're visiting the Lutheran church where my uncle pastored for decades tomorrow morning (our church will be meeting in the evening). I will be greeted with the Easter greeting many times and it will be written into the order of service. But when people wear nice dresses and hats and high heels, it's very hard for them to shout and rejoice, I guess. Sigh. Too bad. Bare feet and pajamas, some old Jesus hippie music and sleepy kids - that's where I will really celebrate.

<3 Christy