The disciples arrived at the tomb and they saw and believed
yet they still did not understand. They were puzzled to pieces.
On Easter Day it is very easy for us to race to celebrating the
incomprehensible event of Jesus resurrection without pausing to reflect on just
how perplexing the event is.
Maybe, this is a reflection of our culture which pursues
happiness above all else.
Maybe, this is why I would say to you on this day that it
would appear to me that Easter Bunnies and Chocolate goodies appear to have
won. we live in a culture that has a
preference for bunnies.
We prefer the instant gratification of a chocolate hit over
the confusion of an empty tomb.
Even in my short time in ministry, a mere 16 years, the
ascendancy of the alternate story has infiltrated and saturated the Easter
holiday. This week as I asked people
about the meaning of Easter the answer that came back was about chocolates,
relaxation and family time.
To be blunt I do not think I can compete with this message
ambiguous as it may be.
In Coles on Thursday every employee was wearing rabbit
ears. As two people dressed in bunny
suits wandered past I asked the guy at the checkout whether he was enjoying his
bunny ears and he said under his breath no.
Then quickly said I better say yes just in case my boss is listening.
When I shared what I did he told me he would be going to
church on Good Friday – it was a family tradition. They don’t go on Easter Sunday, just Friday,
and he really couldn't make any sense out of why they went given they don’t go
to church any other time. He said it was
bit like Christmas. He was puzzled to
pieces. None of it really made sense.
It left me asking myself, ‘why do we bother coming here on
Easter Day?’ Why aren't
we at home
spending time with family or eating chocolate or more likely both?
You see we come and we stand before the empty tomb and I
think for many of us we are as puzzled as the disciples: we are puzzled to
pieces.
We come; I come, with all the pressing questions of life and
its meaning.
Why am I here?
Is there a purpose?
What happens when I die?
What happens when those I love die?
Is there a heaven?
Is there a hell?
Why is there is suffering in my life?
Why is there is suffering in the world?
Why do people hate?
Why do I hate?
Where is God in all of this?
Why is the tomb empty?
If Jesus is raised why don’t people believe it?
The questions seem unending and the search for answers takes
us beyond simplicity.
The disciples believed but they did not understand.
Are we the same?
We believe but we do not understand!
And if we believe what do we believe.
The empty tomb, the church, the scriptures, faith are places
of mystery as we encounter the divine.
As a theologian I explore these questions all the time. It
is part of my role to seek out the questions and to see out the answers.
This morning I piled some of the books that I have read
about this God and this good news we share, as you can see I too am in over my
head!
I don’t have all the answers: I stand with Peter and Mary
and the other disciple. I stand with you
who come with your questions and with hopes and with your faith and with your
doubt. I too am puzzled to pieces.
So what can I say on this day that for most people is about
relaxation, family and chocolate – none of which I offer.
I asked my family what to say today and I want thank Lucy
who suggested I talk about the shape of the tomb. It is from that yawning opening that we experience
the fullness of mystery and grace as we bring all of our questions.
Lucy suggested a talk about one issue, but after some
consideration I have three points to make.
The first which Lucy reminded me of is that the shape of the
opening, from whence the stone was rolled, is a circle. She reminded that a few weeks ago that I
pointed out the circle, which is on this Celtic cross that I wear, is a
reminder of eternal love.
The opening of the tomb she said is a reminder of God’s
unending love. It is as simple and as
complex as that. With all of our belief and
not understanding, with all our questions and puzzlement, God loves us
steadfastly and forevermore.
Secondly, the tomb is a hollow space it is empty but once it
did contain something. A few weeks ago I
watched an episode of Shaun Micallef’s show Stairway to Heaven. He was sitting in a cave with a Hindu holy man
– a guru, in the Himalayas. When they
spoke about the cave the holy man likened it to a womb, a place of security and
safety. A place I would argue from which
new life springs forth.
As I considered this insight and wondered at standing before
the cave in which Jesus body lay, and I remembered Jesus words to Nicodemus, I
could not help but think that this empty tomb, was the womb from which God
brought forth new life.
Birth, re-birth, new birth, is about hope for the
future. As we stand with all of our
questions and puzzlement the empty womb represents God’s desire for new life in
us and says to us there are other ways to live.
And finally it was the metaphor of the mouth that came to me
as I imagine myself before this empty tomb, this cave, this womb. Jesus was laid in a tomb which was pretty
much a cave and each cave has its mouth.
A mouth opened calling out – maybe in joy, may be in hope,
maybe in surprise. But it is Mary’s
encounter with Jesus in the garden which is most telling. Mary in her confusion, in her belief but not understanding,
does not recognise Jesus.
But then he calls her by name. In that intensely personal moment of
revelation Jesus speaks her name and so as I stand before that open cave mouth,
as each of you stand there as well, I wonder can we hear Jesus calling our
names as well.
You see I don’t have all the answers; what we believe from Christian
to the next seems to change. And, we all
have our own questions. The disciples believed
but did not understand yet as puzzled as they were the open and empty tomb
spoke to them and it speaks to us with all of our questions.
God’s love is unending.
God is bringing to birth
something new.
And God is calling us by name.
Can you hear it? Can
you hear God speaking your name?
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