Gospel reading: John 20-1:9
It was very early on the first day of the week, and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb” she said “and we don’t know where they have put him.” So, Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go it. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also, the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
GUIDELINES TO HELP US TO MEDITATE ON THE PASSAGE SO AS TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE GOD’S PRESENCE AND ACTIVITY IN OUR LIVES AND WORLD TODAY.
1. Lord, we thank you for faithful women, spouses, mothers, members of our church communities. When the rest of us “give up” on others – a wayward child, – a parish group that has lost its way, – a political movement dogged by corruption, – a relationship that is going nowhere – they continue to hope. What we call “the end” they see as the first day of a new time, what we call “night” they recognise as the first sign of dawn. May we be inspired by their example.
2. Lord, forgive us that we have become so accustomed to evil, in ourselves, in other people, and in society, that we have become cynical when people speak to us about “resurrection” and “new life”. Their story seems to us pure nonsense and we do not believe them. Even when, like Peter, we go running to the tomb and see the cloths that once kept people in bondage, now left lying on the ground, we merely go back home amazed at what happened and still do not believe. We pray this Easter morning that we will experience the power of resurrection in our own lives renewing our minds and hearts this day and always.
3. At this Easter time we think of people of faith whom we have known – elderly people in our communities, parents and grandparents, teachers, founders of a movement we now belong to .As they walked the roads of whatever “peaceful Galilee” they lived in, they knew a day would come when they would be handed over into the power of sinful men, perhaps even to be crucified, but they trusted that with your help they would rise again on the third day. Today we remember their words with gratitude.