"Why are you looking among the dead for one who is alive?"(Lk 24:5)

As of 13 of April, the number of missing people became 15,148, after the massive earthquake on 11 of March. Today's scripture, Luke tells us the event that Jesus became one of the missing people.

Are there any words which can console the people whose family members are missing? A grief care specialist TAKAKI Yoshiko says "What is necessary is neither words nor deeds, but to share the time and space, and to be with them."

Luke tells us that there were two men who shared the time and space with the women who were puzzled.

The women remembered the words and deeds of Jesus. They stood up to succeed the ministry which was started by Jesus. This is a miracle! Christ is alive, among the people, empowered by the words and deeds of Jesus.

(Summary of the sermon on 24 April 2011, at Sado Church, United Church of Christ in Japan)