VII.
Today let’s take special notice of what women do and say and what Peter does.

VIII.
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.

IX.
Did you notice that while the women are described as “terrified” they do listen, remember and then “… told all this to the eleven and to all the rest”?

Do you think they might have been reluctant to tell this amazing story to others? If so, what might have spurred them on to talk about the encounter?

I have to give it to Peter – he did go to investigate for himself. And yet, he goes home “amazed” and, it seems to me, not having all his questions answered?

What do you think it was like for Peter to live in this “in-between” time? I have the impression that Peter likes things to be definite. To be “cut-and-dried” But here he is given space to live in this “in-between” time. What might that space have done for him?

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, Desu ibi est}