Luke 23:56-24:11 Common English Bible (CEB)
56 then they went away and prepared fragrant spices and perfumed oils. They rested on the Sabbath, in keeping with the commandment.
24 Very early in the morning on the first day of the week, the women went to the tomb, bringing the fragrant spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 They didn’t know what to make of this. Suddenly, two men were standing beside them in gleaming bright clothing. 5 The women were frightened and bowed their faces toward the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He isn’t here, but has been raised. Remember what he told you while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Human One[a] must be handed over to sinners, be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then they remembered his words. 9 When they returned from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven and all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. 11 Their words struck the apostles as nonsense, and they didn’t believe the women.
Reflection
Why do you look for the living among the dead?
We do that all the time don’t we?
Instead of looking at what is right before us, the gift of a new day, new beginnings, new life…we too often, look back…at what is no longer there…we forget…that with the gift of a new day, comes new opportunities, new hopes, new dreams to be explored….
The women in the story were reminded of that…they were reminded of Jesus’ words…that he would die, but on the third day, he would rise again… they were reminded and blessed in believing this…and they went back to share the good news with the others…and to invite them to remember too, the hope-filled promises that were fulfilled in this day of discovery…
But their words were received as nonsense…the women were not believed…
We find ourselves doing that too often, also…don’t we?
Discounting what others tell us, that seem to be unbelievable…not possible…
Discounting what others tell us, without really stopping to consider it….
Discounting what others tell us, because of who it is that told us…
Discounting what others tell us, because we didn’t see it for ourselves yet…
Today, in this reading…the women’s words were heard as nonsense…they were not believed…
But they know the words to be true…
So, even though they were not believed today…they know that in believing that Jesus is now among the living…the hope and promise of a new day, a new beginning is always just a moment away…
Today’s nonsense…may very well be the good news someone hears tomorrow…
Remember this…and share the good news of God’s love revealed to us today…and everyday!
Rev. Julie Platson
St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church