"A STONE ROLLED AWAY"
The women were saying to one another, "Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" (Mark 16:4)
The women referred to in the gospel of Mark were Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary, the mother of James. It was early morning, the day after the Sabbath, and the women were making their way along a dimly lit road to the tomb where Jesus lay. They had prepared spices and perfumes to anoint the linen-wrapped body of their teacher, friend, and Lord.
The stone the women were discussing was a disc-shaped boulder standing on its edge across the entrance to the tomb. The large rock rested in a sloped channel carved into bedrock. It had been rolled into place late in the day before the Sabbath. The task had been a relatively easy one for Joseph, the man who had provided the tomb for Jesus' burial, but once the stone was in place, it would be very difficult to roll back.
What a great loss if the women had decided not to go to the tomb that morning. How tragic if they had allowed obstacles to block their way: the weight of their grief, fear of retaliation for their allegiance to Jesus, or despair over the reality of his death. And then there was the problem with the stone. Who would roll it back for them?
To their amazement, the stone was rolled away when they arrived. A white-clothed messenger stationed at the tomb greeted the bewildered women and reassured them. "You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him."
What force drove Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary to the tomb that early morning? They could have given way to the crosswinds of grief, fear, or despair, but they didn't. Instead they chose to act out of love, devotion, and duty. Although they didn't know it at the time, their decision allowed them to share in the resurrection of Christ.
These faithful women provide a beautiful picture of a risen life, a life that we are called to pursue. The extent to which we enjoy it is defined in part by the choices we make. Some decisions hold us down. Others set us free to live a life of love, devotion, and duty. Each time that choice is made, we can trust our loving God to go before us and at just the perfect moment to roll away the stone.
The women referred to in the gospel of Mark were Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary, the mother of James. It was early morning, the day after the Sabbath, and the women were making their way along a dimly lit road to the tomb where Jesus lay. They had prepared spices and perfumes to anoint the linen-wrapped body of their teacher, friend, and Lord.
The stone the women were discussing was a disc-shaped boulder standing on its edge across the entrance to the tomb. The large rock rested in a sloped channel carved into bedrock. It had been rolled into place late in the day before the Sabbath. The task had been a relatively easy one for Joseph, the man who had provided the tomb for Jesus' burial, but once the stone was in place, it would be very difficult to roll back.
What a great loss if the women had decided not to go to the tomb that morning. How tragic if they had allowed obstacles to block their way: the weight of their grief, fear of retaliation for their allegiance to Jesus, or despair over the reality of his death. And then there was the problem with the stone. Who would roll it back for them?
To their amazement, the stone was rolled away when they arrived. A white-clothed messenger stationed at the tomb greeted the bewildered women and reassured them. "You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him."
What force drove Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary to the tomb that early morning? They could have given way to the crosswinds of grief, fear, or despair, but they didn't. Instead they chose to act out of love, devotion, and duty. Although they didn't know it at the time, their decision allowed them to share in the resurrection of Christ.
These faithful women provide a beautiful picture of a risen life, a life that we are called to pursue. The extent to which we enjoy it is defined in part by the choices we make. Some decisions hold us down. Others set us free to live a life of love, devotion, and duty. Each time that choice is made, we can trust our loving God to go before us and at just the perfect moment to roll away the stone.
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