He is Risen. He is Risen, Indeed!

Easter is one of my favorite holidays. It is a perfect welcome to spring, but more importantly a time for us to honor our Lord and celebrate His resurrection. I can remember all of the Easter traditions from when I was little; waving palm leaves on Palm Sunday, Resurrection eggs (each egg containing an item and a verse symbolic from the Easter story), wearing a brightly colored smock dress that coordinated with my brothers’ outfits, Easter hat parade at school, visiting the Easter Bunny at the mall, Cadbury eggs (even though my older brother is the only one that eats them, we still get them in our basket), Mom’s Easter tree, dyeing Easter eggs and going on the hunt Sunday morning before church.

My favorite Easter tradition of all, however, is Easter breakfast. And I don’t mean the one piece of candy we are allowed to eat out of our basket before church. For as long as I can remember my mom has made what she calls “Empty Tomb Rolls”.  These rolls are intended to symbolize the empty tomb that was seen after Jesus had been crucified and His followers found that the tomb where He had been buried was empty. He had risen, just as He had said.

Every Easter Sunday at church we greet each other with the standard phrase “He is Risen!” and the other responds “He is Risen, indeed!”. We also end the service with one final “He is Risen, indeed!” in unison. Four powerful words that after sheer familiarity tend to lose their luster. Easter shouldn’t be the only day of the year that we take the time to honor the crucifixion and resurrection. We are alive today and everyday because of Him. He died for us.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. -2 Corinthians 5:21

Empty Tomb Rolls

Frozen yeast rolls

Large Marshmallows

¼ cup Cinnamon

¼ cup Sugar

1 stick melted butter

Let the rolls thaw but not rise.  Form a roll around a marshmallow (be sure it is sealed over the marshmallow). Melt butter. Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl. Roll the rolls in melted butter and then in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place in a lightly buttered or greased muffin tin, cover with a dish towel and let rise at least a couple of hours or over night. Bake according to package directions for the rolls. 

The marshmallows will melt and stick to the roll when baking so when you bite into the roll it is “empty”!

Matthew 28:1-9

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

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. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 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.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

He is Risen. He is Risen, Indeed!


Happy Easter!