It was a terrible day! Her closest friend was gone. Dead. Rotting in a grave. And to make matters worse, the previous day had been the sabbath. No work could be done on the body to keep the death smell down. The Roman government, in fear of a revolution over this prophet, had succumbed to the religious leaders' request to seal up the grave and post a guard. At least the body would not be violated that way. But Mary Magdalene could not bear the thought of her friend's body so disgraced. So she gathered sweet smelling spices and oils and headed off to the tomb before daylight. She was expecting a terrible, stinky mess. She was expecting an argument from the guard. Her feet shuffled in the morning dampness. It was hard just to pick them up and go forward.
When she got to the tomb she found that the stone had already been taken away. The only thing she could think was that Jesus had been carried away. She ran now, a race of outrage to get Peter and John. They would know what to do, how to find the body. But Peter and John saw bewilderedly that He had risen from the dead. They knew it to be true, but had no idea what to make of it. Mary Magdalene just stood there weeping. There was a gardener. Of course it was Jesus but she just couldn't see it. She fussed at him for hauling the body away. Finally, unbelievably, she saw that it was her beloved Christ. She clung to him with all her might and wept. And with those feet that had not wanted to move so early in the morning, she ran to tell the good news.
This morning it was cold. It was pouring rain. Snow flurries hung in the air. We sat huddled together awaiting the sunrise which we would not be able to see. Easter was not supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be springy and sunshine and new clothes, girls in a colorful array of bows and dresses. But not this year. The weather stunk. It was a miserable morning. But so it had been for Mary.
We read together the story of that morning and the parallel grabbed all of our hearts. One after another we began to tell of times when we could not reasonably expect the sunrise and it had happened. In relationships, in personal bondages, in physical hardships, in mental challenges, in financial impossibilities, opposition to hatred, in family impasses. Sometimes the sun rises, even though we can't see it it at the time.
Here for our far-flung cyberfamily there are so many needing a sunrise. Our hearts break together as we share stories of the difficulties we face. So often life stinks like a rotting corpse. So often it seems that the clouds are so thick that the sun could never shine through. I am reminded anew that the sunrise is not controlled by my perception of its reality. It happened that first Easter. It continues to happen down through history. And my prayer is that new life and sunrise will happen for each of us. Can't see it? Neither could Mary. Doesn't matter. Thank God.
Christ is risen!
Kristi
P.S. Despite a 100% chance of clouds and rain, the sun broke through the clouds today beginning at 10:30 a.m.
