Resurrection of the Lord (A), April 12, 2020—Matthew 28:1–10

He Qi: He Is Not Here

in The Art of He Qi; also available at heqiart.com

Resurrection Key

A choral work, in major key, 

The Bach Magnificat in D,

Once made me laugh out loud to hear

Repeated music, that appeared

Within the Gloria Patri when

The music came around again—

As it was in the beginning!

Clever Bach, had, in our singing,

Taken us to where we'd started,

Scoring notes already charted.

This technique which Bach employed

Elicits, it turns out, much joy.

So, Matthew, cleverness displayed

With Jesus' "Do not be afraid;

Tell [them] to go to Galilee;

[For it is] there they will see me."

Why Galilee? It's at the start!

And there it is you'll find the heart

Of who the risen Jesus is—

In all the things he did then, viz., 

Forgiving, healing and inviting—

It makes this risen Lord exciting

Since you can see him there, today—

And Resurrection, thus convey.

Go back, the story read anew,

May then his life repeat in you. 

Scott L. Barton

(The idea that "Galilee" means going back to the beginning of Matthew's gospel comes from Tom Long in a Christian Century article, April 4, 2006. James Burton, conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Tanglewood Festival Chorus and B.S.O. Choral Director, reminded me of the name of the particular piece of music I sang years ago.)

This poem and all others for the year, with complete scriptural and title indices, are available in Lectionary Poems, Year A: Surprising Grace for Pulpit and Pew, at Wipfandstock.com and amazon; or from me, signed and inscribed, for only $10 plus $4 shipping and MA sales tax. Write me at scott.l.barton@gmail.com.

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”