Resurrection of Our Lord
John 20:1--18 (NRSV)
John 20:1--18 (NRSV)
Seeing the risen Christ
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
Reflection
The women went early in the morning to the tomb. During the Easter Vigil we watch and we wait. But we know we can have the hope of the joy of the resurrection in our watching and waiting.
What the women discovered brought the fear of a theft. This has been an awful few days and now this. The stone is moved! Mary returns with the report of what the women had seen. The race is on by Peter and another disciple. A race and a detailed investigation of the place and position of the linens.
And that's when the other disciple understands. The linens do not reveal a stolen body, but a body that rose. A body that passed through the linens and the napkin used to wrap the head of Jesus. If Jesus body were stolen, surely the thief would have unwound the napkin from Jesus head and cast it aside, not taking time to roll it up. But this napkin is seen rolled up as if Jesus passed through the napkin and it lay in it's original shape having fallen flat.
This brings the moment of faith by the other disciple. He doesn't understand the depths of his faith but knows that something wonderful has taken place, there was more to Jesus than could ever be imagined. God was active in this place and he believes.
Mary remains and weeps, not understanding what the other disciple understood, Mary believes there has been a theft. Who could have done this? Surely it must have been the gardener. Even the angels don't comfort Mary in her fear and sorrow. Rather they challenge her with a question.
Then Mary discovers it! It wasn't a theft, it wasn't the gardener, Jesus is alive! Jesus is with her in the weeping and Jesus is with her in the joy of her new found faith. Jesus is alive! Jesus, her Teacher, lives! Jesus has risen from the dead!
Faith in Jesus comes to us in various ways. Jesus comes to us and gives us faith individually, yet corporately we become one in the knowledge of the depth of his love for us. Sometimes we don't understand our faith, but Jesus uses this as a seed that will grow in the demonstration of free love and grace for those he gives to us in our daily living.
Today our faith and witness take a leap of joy. The watch and the wait and the discovery that Jesus has overcome sin, death and the devil, frees us to a new faith. We are free of the fear of death that separates us forever from God. We are released to live lives in the joy of the hope and knowledge that Jesus will come again. We know of a spiritual life in ourselves that may for a short while be separated from our flesh, but that will live on in glory with Jesus. We know this because of Jesus resurrection. Jesus body and Spirit are one once again. Jesus is the first resurrected body. And those precious ones who have died before us will one day be reunited with a glorified body, just as Jesus body is glorified in the resurrection.
We can live today in spirit and body. We can live even in the pain of a dying body knowing the love of Maundy Thursday that Jesus has taught us. We can live knowing that this body we have that is decaying and dying will not represent the end to life. We can live today in the love that that command on Thursday that was taught to us. In the resurrection of Jesus we can live out the command to love others as Jesus has loved us.
This is personal, so personal. This involves God and me. But it's also corporate. This love involves Jesus our teacher and that wonderful fulfillment of the command to love all people. This is a resurrection! Christ has risen! Christ has risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Prayer
Jesus, on this day we remember your resurrection. Live in and through us as we follow your command to love others. Alleluia! --- Amen
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