Monday, March 19, 2001
Monday, March 19, 2001
But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not
believe it.
Mary's tears were mingled with confusion when she saw that the stone covering the tomb had
been moved. When she didn't find Jesus' body there, she assumed someone had taken it. This
added to the cruel humiliation of the cross. She told the disciples, "They took Jesus and I don't
know where he is." After her report, Peter and John came running to Jesus' tomb and looked in.
Peter saw the grave clothes lying in the tomb. He went away not understanding. John, the one
who loved Jesus, realized what had happened and believed. Seeing the stone moved and grave
clothes left behind were enough to bring him to faith. Amazingly from such circumstantial
evidence, he knew that Jesus was risen from the dead. He knew that somehow the incredible was
true: death didn't win. Jesus did!
(Mark 16:11
NRSV)
Mary went to the tomb to grieve the dead Jesus. Her tears spoke of her anguish. When Jesus lost,
she lost. It is universal among humans to feel death as a loss. Religion says death is a passage to a
new life. The death of a loved one, however, doesn't feel like a victory. It feels like a wrenching,
jolting pain. For Mary, it was not only the loss of a friend, but of one she hoped would bring new
life. When Mary stood at the tomb, she not only lost someone she loved; she lost her hopes for
the future.
Dear Jesus, remind me that death does not have to be the end of the story. Amen.
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