Sunday, April 20, 2025: Easter
John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, `I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
In my work as a Neuro ICU chaplain, I encounter a lot of patients who are unresponsive on life support. Their families and their treatment teams do not yet know if they will recover, and if they do, what recovery will look like for them. This is a time of waiting and watching and hoping for these patients’ families who love these patients, and for their doctors and nurses who are caring for them.
This time of waiting and not knowing is excruciatingly difficult for families. Their loved one, the patient, cannot speak to them, cannot respond to them by even squeezing a hand or acknowledging them in any way. It is hard, indeed sometimes impossible, to be hopeful for families of patients who hover between life and death.
Because we have a good and gracious God who loves us infinitely and is always with us, during this time families are waiting for their loved ones to recover, I tell them that God is at work in their lives in ways we cannot even fathom. God is at work behind the scenes, speaking words of love to these patients who cannot talk, who cannot even breathe on their own without help. God is at work healing their spirits and, hopefully, their brains and their bodies. God is at work through the ministrations of the nurses and the care provided by the doctors. Though we cannot see the hand of God in the darkness of not knowing, God is still active, God is still present, because this is who God is for us, this God whose love is unfailing and unshakeable (Isaiah 54:10).
The resurrection of Jesus took place in the dark. John tells us today that it was “still dark” when Mary Magdalene went to anoint Jesus’ body. Jesus rose from the dead not in the light of day, but at night, before the sun rose. This miraculous, wholly unexpected event of Jesus’ return from death took place behind the scenes with no one watching, (except maybe angels), and was discovered by one, single solitary woman.
And so it is with us. Resurrection takes place in our lives in the darkness, when things might seem bleak and hopeless. Resurrection happens when we least expect it and we are surprised by encountering God’s goodness when we have lost hope. God’s mercy is new every morning (Lamentations 3: 22-23) because God’s love is unfailing and ever present. We can take heart in knowing that, just as Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene when she wept in desolation over Jesus’ death, Jesus will appear to us, too, in ways we could never have dreamed.
Thank you Sally!! We all need this inspiration! Right now my family is in darkness not knowing what comes next my husband is suffering many health problems!
Betty, I am so sorry to hear of your husband’s many health problems. I will pray for his healing and for light and clarity in the midst of your family’s darkness. A big hug to you!
Ms. Sally..thank you for sharing this beautiful and sincere scripture and you make it so easy with your words of encouragement and wisdom.
Thank you for this
Donale, it’s so good to hear from you! You are so welcome! I’m glad you found my reflection helpful. Easter blessings of comfort and strength to you, Donale! -Sally
s