By Rev. Todd Penson
Matthew 28:1-10
28:1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Our home, when we lived in Wenatchee, Washington and our home here in Tucson are both blessed with the presence of quail. Sometimes they run in front of our car or next to our fence.
We were trimming our grapefruit tree (in Tucson) today when we heard the familiar voice of our neighbor Don calling to us from our side fence. We stopped trimming and had a pleasant conversation, observing the current social distancing rules as we did so. Last week we had noticed he had his motion-activated camera in his front yard and we asked him what he was photographing there. He said that quail were getting into his bushes and he was deciding how to get rid of them.
Tyger and I actually enjoy having quail around, especially when a new brood has hatched, and we see a mother quail running across the street followed by six to ten tiny new-born quail running in tempo with “mamma.” Often we see adult quails run with great elegance, their heads held up high.
During our lunch on the patio, our conversation turned to quail and Tyger said she wondered if the word quail was ever used as a verb. She pulled out her smart phone, and discovered that yes, it did have an historic verb form. A fifteenth century usage of middle-English origin meant “to fear.”
During this Easter season, when Christians hear the Easter stories from the Gospels, or wish we could, in celebrative Easter worship services, I recall Matthew’s account of the empty tomb and Jesus’ words to the women who came to that tomb the first Easter. “Fear not,” he said (Matthew 28:5, 10).
I think of our current national and international situation with the coronavirus and all the side difficulties that are accompanying it. We wake up each day cautious to not do something that will endanger us or our family, neighbors, and friends.
So I invite you to add to your sigh of comfort at Jesus words, “Fear not,” the words, “QUAIL NOT!” Then every time you see a Quail, repeat those words, “Quail not!” Hopefully, this will add a smile on your face to the heart-calming words of Jesus, FEAR NOT!
Prayer: God of love, you cast out our fears. Your love expands to fill all available space, so no room for fear is left! Fill the “social distance” spaces between us, our family members and our friends with your presence. Help us, O God, to QUAIL NOT! Amen.
Song: “Be Not Afraid” (ELW 388, a Taizé Community Song based on Matthew 28:5)
Be not afraid, sing out for joy!
Christ is risen, alleluia!
Be not afraid, sing out for joy!
Christ is risen, alleluia!