Why Are You Weeping?”
[38] After these things Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate granted permission. So he came, and took away His body. [39] Nicodemus, who had first came to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. [40] So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. [41] Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. [42] Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:38-42 (NASB))
And this is what hung in the air during the Sabbath. The memories of that Friday, the scents, the sights, the smells and the sounds played over and over in the mind. What were the disciples to do now that Jesus was dead and lying in a tomb? Questions such as, “Would the officials come after us when the Sabbath was over?” After all, Herod and Pilate had great support when they wanted to crucify Jesus, perhaps they would now be bold enough to punish all of His followers to end this movement.
We don’t know any of this, but we do know the events of that Sabbath are like a deep, dark, black hole. Isn’t that the way it is when someone you love dies? Your heart beats hard in your chest, it’s difficult to breath, and a thousand thoughts run through your head. What is it that you see and hear in the memories of your mind? Do you relive the good and happy times, or do you dwell on the sad unhappy things which are a part of everyone’s life history? Or is it a mixture of both?
Like Mary and the disciples we tend to dwell on the empty darkness of the tomb, death and sin. It holds our attention captive to the mystery of the unknown. We think we understand it, after all we are all going to die, someday, right? So many people try to avoid it, ignore it and maybe it won’t happen to me. The trouble is we know deep down inside it is, so we have experts trained in the art of making a dead body look alive. Alright, the truth is we just don’t want it to hurt when we die, no pain.
As the disciples and the women waited for the Sabbath to pass, it must have been very difficult not to dwell on the horror of Jesus’ death. Mary Magdalene could not wait any longer when she left for the tomb. She left so early, it was still dark as she shouldered the burial spices she had prepared. I imagine there was hardly anyone on the streets at such an early hour while she made her way through Jerusalem thinking of all the things she will have to do.
First and foremost was the stone. How was she going to get into the tomb? She had watched them place the body of her Lord carefully on the stone bed. She saw them roll the very large stone into place, and she saw them seal it to prevent anyone from stealing His body. Maybe the Roman guards could do it for her.
Imagine the surprise and wonder when she saw that the large stone was pushed away from the tomb! The guards were gone, and so was the body of her Lord. Now, wouldn’t you be a bit shocked to find an open and empty grave of someone you saw buried? I can’t even begin to think of what thoughts I would have, can you?
The disciples, she must tell the disciples, so she ran to them with the news. Only two responded to her passionate report, Peter and the other disciple who ran to verify, to witness the facts. Having obtained the facts of the scene at the tomb, they ran back to report the news.
Then Mary who was left alone sobbing, ventured to look again into the tomb. Perhaps she wanted to see again the place where her Lord had lain. Her already complicated day is about to take another twist. She did not see an empty tomb, but there were now two angels, dressed in white as white as lightening, just like Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.
The angels knew something she did not yet know, so they asked her, “Why are you weeping?” From their point of view there was nothing to weep about. Mary’s vision was still clouded with the veil of death, she did not realize death had been swallowed up by the Servant of God. So as she turned away from the empty tomb to see a man she thought was the gardener, her thoughts were still on the lifeless body of Jesus who had freed her from the power of demons.
Her hope was a dead body, but Jesus gave her life in His resurrected body. The moment the Holy Spirit opened her eyes, Mary recognized Jesus, death no longer had power over her. Her fear and sadness vanished like darkness with the sunrise. Suddenly her life was again filled with joy because her Lord was alive!
Why are you weeping? All of the things Mary received in that moment, relief, joy, happiness and hope are for you, too. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, who did not realize the ruby slippers could have taken her home much earlier, we sometimes do not realize what we have in Holy Baptism. In the mystery of that washing of Word and water, you are united with Christ in His death on the cross. That is one side of it, the other is that you are united with Him in His resurrection!
Why are you weeping? Once we turn away from the darkness of death and sin, we see the Son, who is life and light, joy, happiness and hope. Every sunrise should remind you that Jesus, who once was dead is now alive, and that life is in you drawing you closer to Him wiping away your tears of sadness. Death has been destroyed forever and the stain of your sin has been taken away.
Why are you weeping? “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Amen.
