While no one knows what thoughts raced through the mind of Mary Magdalene as she raced to the tomb of Jesus early that first Easter morning, what she found likely came as a shock to her and later to Simon Peter and the other disciple. The tomb was empty, filled with emptiness. Jesus was no longer
there.
The tomb seems to represent the end; where things tend to stop and go no further. However, you can tell there is more to the story. It’s as if Christ wanted to proclaim, “Yes, they laid me in a tomb, but I didn’t plan on staying there and I continued on.”
When those three dear friends of Jesus went to the tomb, they did not know yet about the resurrection. Each one went to the tomb with memories of fear and sadness. Still, they must have perceived that something new had occurred and was taking place. Why, because they trusted Christ, they had received his love. Their hearts were raised up by the power of Christ’s love.
Even though Simon Peter had denied Jesus three times, he did not remain stuck in doubt and shame. He had abandoned Jesus, but he sensed that the Lord would not abandon him or the others. The three of them came out of their spiritual tombs to seek the Risen Lord. And so, the truth of Christ, the story of salvation unfolded.
While the cross is held up as the greatest symbol of Christ’s love for us, the empty tomb can be understood as equally great. Death could not hold him back. The work of salvation goes on. As the empty tomb demonstrates clearly, Christ never stops loving.
The Resurrection was Christ’s experience, but also his promise and gift to us. What about us? Are we open to the possibility of new life, now and eternally? Have we, spiritually and emotionally, been stuck as if in a tomb?
Pope Francis writes: “Let us not stay imprisoned within ourselves, but let us break open our sealed tombs to the Lord – each of us knows what they are – so that he may enter and grant us life. Let us give him the stones of our rancor, our bitterness and the boulders of our past, those heavy burdens of
our weaknesses and falls.”
I say it frequently and it means so much more now at Easter: In Christ, there are no end times, in Him there are no endings, only new beginnings, new life.
Christ invites us to place what needs to die, what needs to end in the tomb: Our fears, our hatred, our hardness of heart, our lack of kindness, our lack of confidence. In other words, our sins. In the tomb.
And then, Christ calls us ….Don’t stay there in a tomb …Come out to his mercy …Come out to new life. The tomb is stark with emptiness ….But Christ gives fullness.
Peace in the Risen Lord!
Fr. Charles Johnson, O.P.