Luke 24:1-12
TEXT:
Jesus Enters Jerusalem
Luke 24:1-12
Very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, carrying the spices they had prepared. When they found the stone rolled away from the entrance, they went in. But they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus, and they did not know what to think.
Suddenly two men in shining white clothes stood beside them. The women were afraid and bowed to the ground. But the men said, “Why are you looking in the place of the dead for someone who is alive? Jesus isn't here! He has been raised from death. Remember that while he was still in Galilee, he told you, ‘The Son of Man will be handed over to sinners who will nail him to a cross. But three days later he will rise to life.’ ” Then they remembered what Jesus had said.
Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and some other women were the ones who had gone to the tomb. When they returned, they told the eleven apostles and the others what had happened.
The apostles thought it was all nonsense, and they would not believe.
But Peter ran to the tomb. And when he stooped down and looked in, he saw only the burial clothes. Then he returned, wondering what had happened.
REFLECTIONS:
On that very first morning of Creation, God imbued humanity with the God-image: the capacity to embody and mirror God's ways and desires in Creation. And then something funky happened. A talking snake thing showed up with different desires, Eve chose to imitate the talking snake, and Adam chose to imitate Eve. Instead of following God's desires, our first human ancestors started following each other's desires.
What happens when we share common desires? Who is entitled to the "thing" we both want? The story of humanity reveals that our answer is to fight. We descend into rivalry and violence in such a way that the only way we’ve been able to figure out how to stop the violence is to use more of it, and so the violence never goes away. When we imitate Adam and Eve, we end up with stories of Cain and Abel repeated ad nauseam.
And so: the significance of Easter.
In Jesus we are provided a new point of origin, a new ancestor, a new lineage into which we can live. This one mirrors God's desires, not our own, even when it means becoming the victim of our violence. And to save us from the crushing shame, Jesus is raised, the Cosmic act of forgiveness, so that we might face ourselves once more. In Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, he short-circuits our cycles of violence, providing a new way, and a new life.
If we can become a people who choose to imitate the way of Jesus, we'll short-circuit our own modern day narratives that lead to more Cain and Abels. For it is when we are transformed into people who respond to violence with forgiveness that our world is transformed and a new Creation dawns.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application Look for a coworker who is struggling and find a way to help her/him.
Pathways Toward Centeredness Is there anyone or anything worth celebrating right now? Throw a mini party in honor of that person or thing!
Questions for Consideration What helps you step out of a narrative of rivalry and into a relationship of peacemaking? Who in your life would benefit from knowing they are forgiven? What is your favorite Easter candy?