Easter

Are you guilty of skiplagging? American, Delta, United, Southwest and most other major airlines are up in arms about an increase of skiplagging passengers. The fine print of a passenger’s ticket forbids the practice. The airlines are threatening to impose a lifetime ban on travelers who skiplag flights. They also warn that they’ll take away the skiplagging consumer’s frequent flier miles. In some cases, they rage about taking the crafty customer to court.

So, what is skiplagging, anyway? It’s a sneaky way to travel to your real destination while pretending you’re going somewhere else. It’s also called hidden city ticketing. Let’s say you want to travel from Tampa to Raleigh. Instead of buying an expensive nonstop flight to Raleigh, you buy a one-stop trip to Washington or New York, but the one stop is in Raleigh. Since this is where you really want to go, you get off in Raleigh. You don’t have any checked bags. You paid for the flight, and it’s cheaper for some crazy reason than buying a nonstop flight that ends in Raleigh.

Naturally, an online search will bring up websites that help passengers find skiplagging opportunities that save them anywhere from $20 to $100.

In today’s Gospel, some traveling is going on. There’s definitely a traveler. He’s not where he’s supposed to be, and everyone — including his erstwhile and faithless followers, religious leaders, the Roman government and the guards — is up in arms. The tombstone rolled, and no doubt heads will roll as well.

Jesus is on the move, and his final destination is eternal glory seated at the right hand of the Father.

But first, Jesus skiplags and stops over to visit some friends.

Of course, unlike true skiplaggers, he will ultimately continue to his final destination. So, Jesus’ experience is more like an extended transition or pass-through. Or call it a multi-destination trip, or “extended stay” travel. He had about 40 days left on his earthly visa, and come Ascension Day, he will be taking off on the final leg of his remarkable sojourn among mortals.

But in addition to being divine, Jesus was human himself, and therein may lie the secret as to why Jesus decided to skiplag for a few weeks with his followers.

On Easter morning, Peter and John race to the tomb after getting word from Mary Magdalene that the body was gone. John beats Peter but doesn’t go in. Peter arrives and goes inside. Mary M. was right! Holy sepulcher! He’s gone! John then goes inside. According to his autobiographical account, “he saw and believed” (v. 8), that is, he now knew with certainty that Mary M. was right and not a raving lunatic. The Bible goes on to say, “Then the disciples returned to their homes” (v. 10).

They went home! Not a big deal. The body is gone. Graverobbers or Roman guards had made off with the corpse. It was out of their hands. Jesus was dead. The whole city was abuzz about it. Remember what Cleopas, one of the two disciples walking toward Emmaus, said to Jesus (whom they did not recognize): “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” (Luke 24:10). Everyone knew what had happened, and they also knew that reports were circulating that something had happened to the body of Jesus!

In Luke’s account of Easter evening, the disciples have gathered in Jerusalem, along with “their companions” (Luke 24:33), as well as the two men Jesus encountered on the road to Emmaus. Suddenly, Jesus popped up unannounced into their midst and said, “BOO!”

Actually, he said, “Peace be with you,” but the effect was the same. “They were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost.” They thought Jesus was dead, yet here he was asking them if they had anything to eat! They fumbled around and found some “broiled fish,” and the “ghost” promptly ate it “in their presence” (Luke 24:37, 41, 43).

Why does Jesus do this? Why scare his feckless followers with this Halloween charade? Why doesn’t Jesus fly off to his ticketed destination, instead of getting off to visit former colleagues, ghosting about hither and yon and scaring the daylights out of people?

What is striking about the post-resurrection events is Jesus’ insistence (and persistence) in dispelling the notion that he was an incorporeal figment of their imagination. He goes to great lengths to prove that he is not a sprite, apparition, phantom or ghost. He quickly establishes the physicality of his presence. “Look at my hands and my feet,” he says to them. “See that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” At this point, he also “showed them his hands and his feet” (Luke 24:39-40).

So, Jesus has a ticket for heaven, but gets off in Jerusalem to see his friends. Why? To demonstrate that his post-resurrection body was a body of flesh and blood. He was no ghost. He was the real deal.

From the time of Jesus’ resurrection to his ascension into heaven, approximately 40 days elapsed. During this time, Jesus had conversations with hundreds of people.

The most remarkable story in all of history is the change that took place in the lives of those early Christians after their encounter with the risen Christ. They became absolutely fearless and unstoppable. And why not? Those early disciples knew that Christ had conquered death.

The cross proves God’s great love for us.  The empty tomb proves that God is faithful, that God keeps His word. Jesus is alive.  And new life is available to everyone who calls on his name.

A group of third graders were asked if they knew what RIP on a tombstone stands for.  No hands went up.  Finally, one brave soul raised his hand and said, “Return if possible.”

That could have been carved into the stone that sealed Jesus’ tomb.  RIP, “return if possible.” And did he ever.  Jesus burst forth from the tomb letting the light of the resurrection flood in upon the darkness of sin and death.  No more fear of death.

Jesus’ agony, the lashes of the whip; the nailing of the nails; the rumble of thunder; the dark descending; all of these were the sounds of God’s tears and God’s heart breaking as Jesus, His only Son, died on the cross. The silence of Friday and Saturday is the sound of God’s grief.

But on Sunday morning, the sound of the rolling of the stone, the birds singing, the disciples running, and even the sound of the Sun warming the earth and plants and trees, was the sound of God’s laughter.  That laughter began as a quiet chuckle that built to a roar of laughter as the disciples discovered the empty tomb and the realization of the resurrection set in.

We are the people of the rolled stone.  It is our heritage and our legacy.  Because the tomb is empty, we’re called to join in the laughter, God’s laughter, the laughter of new life and life filled with hope. We’re called to laugh from the sheer joy and knowledge that there is hope and the promise of forgiveness. AND that there is life beyond this life.  The Tomb is empty.  The risen Christ is with us.

Awhile back, a letter was written from the Greenville County, South Carolina, Department of Social Services to a county resident. The letter said, “Your food stamps will be stopped effective immediately because we have received notice that you passed away. Thank you for your attention to this matter. You may reapply if there is any change in your circumstances.”

Jesus of Nazareth did indeed have a “change of circumstance.” His tomb was empty because he was alive and well in a new, resurrected body. And so we know that resurrection is indeed the real deal.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!