Once again the women are centre stage, and deservedly so. They have bothered to go to the tomb, taking spices so that they might anoint the body. They have ignored the fact that they might be seen and so linked to this trouble-maker. They have ignored that they might fall because of a massive stone across the tomb’s entrance. Three are named, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. The Sabbath is now over and so they are free to go about this business.
In a sense there is nothing that they can do, but they are desperate to complete these last offices of love. Thus, it is very early on Sunday morning that they set out. The conversation as they walk down the road is about the stone. They realised that their journey might be futile, but still they went, not knowing how they would deal with the stone issue. I wonder if we are ever willing to disregard seemingly impossible barriers because there is something we simply must do.
On arrival they were astounded to discover that the stone had already been moved. This was not what they had expected, and they certainly did not work out its implications. However, rather than a body to anoint, they discover a young man dressed in white who has amazing news. They do not need to be frightened, but they are not going to find Jesus there. Jesus is risen! They are instructed to go and tell the disciples, especially Peter, that they will meet Jesus back in Galilee. It is not surprising that the women left the tomb with a mixture of terror and amazement. This was too much to understand. What was going on? They kept it to themselves because they were scared.
We are inevitably looking round the corner and recognising the immensity of the moment. As José Cárdenas Pallares (A Poor Man Called Jesus: Reflections on the Gospel of Mark) comments – “To posit the factual reality of Jesus’ Resurrection is not to take refuge in daydreams. It is simply to wonder about a force that will generate an irreversible and unlimited liberation process.”
I wonder whether we would have got it. I wonder whether the Easter message excites us as much as it should.
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