The Third Day
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Luke 24:1-12
1. But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. 2. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3. but when they went in they did not find the body. 4. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; 5. and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7. that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." 8. And they remembered his words, 9. and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; 11. but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Wondering what had happened?! My son would say, “Hellllooo!” Had Peter not been paying attention? Did he forget how the story was supposed to end? Or actually how it was to begin? But we must keep in mind that Peter wanted not only his feet washed at the Last Supper, but his whole body! He wasn’t dumb, he just adored Jesus so much, that he hung on his every word, and wanted to understand! I think that he just didn’t always carry a thought to its logical conclusion! He was one of those “shoot from the hip types.” I think that’s why I relate to him so readily! And he loved Jesus beyond reason. At this point in the story, he has denied knowing Jesus three times. And the apostles and most of the followers of “this Jesus” were in hiding, probably fearing for their own lives.
How in the world could these women be accurate in their accounting? They must have gone to the wrong tomb. There’s no way one person could have rolled away that stone! It took three or four strong men to roll it into place on Friday. These women are so overcome with grief, they’ve convinced themselves that their Lord is not really dead! No on can rise from the dead! It’s crazy! It’s impossible! But . . . wait . . . and off he runs—frantic . . . hoping against hope. And when his deepest desire is realized, he just can’t believe it! He can’t wrap his head around it! (Remember he needs time to “process.”)
Aren’t we so often like Peter? Don’t we “pick and choose” when and what we really believe and live by? Yes, we believe Jesus rose from the dead – but we never put our hand in his side, we never saw the nail scars. We never had our minds opened to the scripture in some cosmic way that imparted a deep and transcendent knowledge – a spiritual understanding and belief in everything the prophets has foretold, and in everything Christ had promised would come. We’ve never heard the words from His mouth. We’ve never looked into His eyes and seen so much love it made us hurt; and so much pain it made us fall to our knees in humble inexpressible gratitude.
But we have the luxury and benefit of history. We can “start” at the resurrection and work our way backwards! We have the New Testament to continue the story that started so very long ago—before man could speak in sentences and while Adam and Eve were still “in His image and likeness.” And we have 2000+ years of history since the resurrection! And great people like Pope John Paul II, and Mother Theresa, and Nelson Mandella, and Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, and Billy Graham, and so many other guides, leaders, and modern-day prophets and disciples to learn from and look to for how to live our lives.
I pray today that you live your life in the joy and wonder of the Third Day! And that you spread the Good News of the Resurrection to everyone you meet.
Mary
