God.

Happy Easter.

Or happy resurrection day.

We work hard to find exactly the right words to use for greetings on this day.

Because we want to navigate the right ways to express our faith or to not offend someone. Knowing, some of us, that the people we’re most afraid of offending are the people who apparently belong to you.

We forget that the first words we know of that were spoken to you by humans after your resurrection were Mary’s: “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Until she saw you, she didn’t see you.

And then the disciples didn’t believe her.

Going back to the basics means admitting that your people are always pretty wobbly.

Which is good news to us, in a hospital, on Easter Sunday.

Help us today to see your face, as you helped Mary and John and Peter and a couple disciples walking along the road with you without realizing it was you.

Help us today to know that you are already here, even when we ask where you are.

Help us today to offer compassion to those who aren’t getting it exactly right.

And help us proclaim what we don’t always understand.

That you are risen, indeed.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.