MARK 16
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ 4When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back.
The verse from Mark read on Easter morning presents one of the great puzzles in the Bible. Here are three perfectly intelligent women going out to do a ritual they have no doubt done before, but this time with a twist. Even before they set out by themselves, they know that the body they will prepare has already been placed in a rock cave and sealed with stone too heavy for them to move. As they travel in that early morning light (obviously too early for the big guys to be out), they ask each other with curiousity, but without hesitation, who is going to help them to get into the tomb. They travel in faith.
Margaret Irwin's last Easter sermon at All Saints' Palo Alto bought my attention to this amazing puzzle, one we read at least once a year and never pause to consider:
Do I have the faith to go to the stone -- to go on with my life without every question answered ahead of time -- without knowing "Who will roll away that stone?"
Thank you Margaret for that wonderful question that pointed me look anew at my faith.
Here is a picture of Margaret sitting on the front row at the installation of All Saint's new rector. (remember the one I missed going to in California?)
Happy Easter.
I'm now doing a little hike out of my hospital room to see if I can find a place to watch the sun rise over the Charles this morning -- a small act of faith that I'll find a window.
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