Rolled Back Stone

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 

When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. 

He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.’” (Mark 16:1-7)

Jesus was entombed after his crucifixion, but then he disappeared.  He was raised.  The rest is history and with great meaning for all Christians this Saturday and Easter Vigil.  No stone needed to be rolled away.  The entrance was open.

Many of us consider this day and evening, and certainly tomorrow, the time for our own risings.  It’s a time for hope, optimism, and a belief that better times lie ahead.  Our winter tombs have been opened and with the risen Jesus as our guide we begin a new spring season when the world around us is resurrected from death and decay to new and abundant life.   It is a time for joy.  

We need not wait for a white-robed, young man to tell us Jesus has gone before us, and we will see him.  We know that already.  Our task is to catch up to him and then always keep him close and in our sights.

Deacon David Pierce