Welcome the Newness of Life

Luke 24:1-12
24But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8Then they remembered his words, 9and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

REFLECTION

The biblical Easter Day narrative is like an old, old story or classic being retold every year and for Christians around the world they would not pass the day without hearing the story of the resurrection of Jesus. Re-reading the resurrection narrative in the Gospel of Luke enables us to hear the story once again in view of the contemporary life situations where we live and have our being. Both in our personal and social life there are many circumstances that relate with the resurrection event.

The women in the life of Jesus were mourning for the gruesome events that took place three days prior and early on the third day, the first day of week they have to follow the customs of bringing herbs to the tomb to use for the dead body of the departed loved one. When we try to feel with the Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary the mother of James on their way to the tomb, we can empathize with them for the death of most loved family member, a relative or friend. Aside from the sadness there was the fear and trembling on the Roman authorities who may be watching over the tomb and would somehow arrest them or tell them not to come close to the tomb. But they were determined to do what ought to be done in that particular situation, asserting their right to be in the tomb of a loved one.

Few meters away they saw that the tomb where Jesus was laid was already opened and suspicion that Jesus’ body was taken away by robbers or by the Roman soldiers, they were terrified and was at a loss of what they have to do in case their suspicion was true. However while they were there perplexed seeing an opened tomb, they saw visions of angels in dazzling white, a metaphysical mysterious experience that the seers may have some doubts of what they seeing but it must had been a blinding light. The presence of the supernatural is always accompanied by a dazzling or blinding light and then with tremors of nature, then the deity will speak to the seers. “Why do look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has risen…” Why would the women and all the disciples remained in grief and disbelief when they had the assurance of the resurrection? Jesus brought back to life Lazarus, but now that he is dead who will resurrect him from the dead? Nobody. A God whom Jesus called “Father” was a distant God for the disciples. It was only on Jesus’ resurrection that there is somebody else other than Jesus. The disciples were not easy to belief in this event.

Everyday we are faced with the reality of physical or biological extinction, for we know that when we die, that’s the end of our mortal existence, our bodies can be buried in the ground and go to the process of natural decomposition or our bodies can be turned into ashes by cremation. Our fear of the unknown is always justified, but our faith in what God can do even after our biological extinction and the promise of a Jesus’ like resurrection can overcome our fear of death. I think this is the relevance of Jesus resurrection from the dead. God has overcome the power of death and darkness on Easter Day and it is an every minute of the day experience for all those who have faith.

I was awakened in the middle of the night by the call of my friends outside the gate telling me that the church building of UCCP Iloilo City was razed by fire. With fear and trembling I and Gloria rushed to see the burning church building and my heart melted like wax as the thick smoke hovered and the huge red-golden fire consumed the whole church building. On the side walk were many people gathered I looked for the pastor and her family and the young people who lodged at the church dormitory. I was relieved to see them all safe. The church has to be rebuilt, not just the building but the church people themselves. The more than one hundred years old community of faith had to start all over again. The process of rebuilding was daunting and to see the church relocated in a new site and new physical facilities was an experience of resurrection.

We ought not to despair in death. We should always have faith for newness of life that God provides through Jesus Christ.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!