Sunday!! Resurrection Sunday!!
John 20:19-20 It was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. Then Jesus came and stood among them. Peace be with you, he said. After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord
My contemplation this weekend went to places I had not been before. I thought about being the age that Mary might have been when Jesus was killed, murdered. How her mothers' heart would have been broken. And sure, he said he would return, that he would build a Kingdom, that He would see her again. But how?? How!!??
So, with her broken heart, she went and spent the Sabbath, resting, but for sure not finding rest! She had just buried her son, had her heart broken and was hanging out with a crowd that the officials wanted to get rid of--she had seen an example of that with her own Son's crucifixion. On Sunday, she and a friend took the anointing herbs, proper for burial. Remember those? Weren't they the gifts of the magi, so many years before? So, once again, with very broken heart, very heavy steps, she made her way back to that place. That place of burial, that tomb. Even the word tomb sounds cold. No mother should have to bury her son. No mother should have to witness the murder of her first born, her very heart.
Imagine how it would have felt to that heavy heart, when she arrived at that grave. Imagine the feeling, thinking perhaps someone had stolen His body? Someone had played a very meant trick, perhaps those very folk who were threatening her own life! She had seen them seal and protect it--
65-66Pilate told them, "You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can." So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.
Terrified, scared, wondering, clinging for dear life to the hope that he had left with her-- and yet again, thankful for her friend, the one who had come with her for this terrible chore!
1-4 After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God's angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn't move.
My contemplation this weekend went to places I had not been before. I thought about being the age that Mary might have been when Jesus was killed, murdered. How her mothers' heart would have been broken. And sure, he said he would return, that he would build a Kingdom, that He would see her again. But how?? How!!??
So, with her broken heart, she went and spent the Sabbath, resting, but for sure not finding rest! She had just buried her son, had her heart broken and was hanging out with a crowd that the officials wanted to get rid of--she had seen an example of that with her own Son's crucifixion. On Sunday, she and a friend took the anointing herbs, proper for burial. Remember those? Weren't they the gifts of the magi, so many years before? So, once again, with very broken heart, very heavy steps, she made her way back to that place. That place of burial, that tomb. Even the word tomb sounds cold. No mother should have to bury her son. No mother should have to witness the murder of her first born, her very heart.
Imagine how it would have felt to that heavy heart, when she arrived at that grave. Imagine the feeling, thinking perhaps someone had stolen His body? Someone had played a very meant trick, perhaps those very folk who were threatening her own life! She had seen them seal and protect it--
65-66Pilate told them, "You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can." So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.
Terrified, scared, wondering, clinging for dear life to the hope that he had left with her-- and yet again, thankful for her friend, the one who had come with her for this terrible chore!
1-4 After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God's angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn't move.
5-6The angel spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.
7"Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, 'He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.' That's the message."
8-10The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. "Good morning!" he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, "You're holding on to me for dear life! Don't be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I'll meet them there."
They worshiped Him! No doubt!! Of course they were terrified, scared, clinging! and there was her Son, the joy of her heart, before her, no longer dead, but alive! She was right, no mother should have to bury her Son--and He was alive! Imagine the celebrations, the parties, the dinners and time together, making plans for more tomorrows, the plans. He knew what was to come, how the next 50 days would be spent--with a busy life, full of healing and people and miracles and, once again, reunion with the mother He loved. So, all my contemplation this weekend has lead me once again to this. I can trust God with my mother's heart. He takes good care of me, cares about my deepest cares and needs and desires. He is faithful and full of mercy--and once again, I am more than grateful.
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