I.
This next Sunday, April 2, 2023, will be observed in many Christian congregations as Palm Sunday and in others as Passion Sunday with still others combining elements of each liturgy. And here in the ISSL series we jump over Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday going directly to dawn on the first day of week after the crucifixion.

Despite this jump, we still see disciples of Jesus “perplexed … terrified … bowed to the ground … [and] amazed”

As you spend time with this passage, take note of the disciples’ confusion and maybe their hope, if you notice any.

II.
Luke 24:1-12 (NRSVue)

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The 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. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But 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.

III.

“But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.”

Does it seem an idle tale to you? Or maybe unbelievable? Or just too good to believe?

We see people here who walked beside Jesus for years and listened to him every day, amazed and not knowing what to think of this.

Maybe we can stand with them in their amazement before we criticize them or accuse them of having “too little faith.”

Prayers and Practices

Let us hold in prayer those who find this talk of resurrection beyond belief. And let us give us all the room to say “I believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}