Grave robbers.
Usually they go after buried jewels and precious metals. In horror stories sometimes they go for certain body parts for magical spells or experiments like in Frankenstein.
Except this grave robber is different. This Grave robber isn’t about stealing anything, in fact this grave robber is about restoring.
The life that was taken away has been brought back.
“Take away the stone.”
“Unbind him, and let him go.”
The grave robber speaks, death loses its prisoner, the captive is set free.
“Lazarus, come out!”
It was terrifying. It was wonderful.
Terrifying and Wonderful–All Saints Day–we celebrate the Communion of the Saints-that mysterious joining of the living and the dead through the life of Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead, the grave robber, who roles aside the stone, who unbinds us. That the dead may live, and that the living may be born anew.
The prisoners are released.
The captives are set free.
The land of bondage is left behind.
And the saints….they live!
Live.
All stand as we remember our dead since last All Saints Day:
“All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
Please remain standing as we renew our Baptismal Covenant where in we are joined with Christ in whom the living and the dead share communion.