Thought for Easter

-

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.” John 20:18  

This is what I would like to be too. To go out and encourage each other with this news, I have seen the Lord, and tell each other what the Lord has been telling and teaching me. 

But this event of recognizing and hearing Jesus, “Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (Which means “Teacher”).” John 20:16, was preceded by a time of confusion and discouragement. Early in the morning while it was still dark Mary went to the tomb with certain expectations and found that, it was not to be. Her expectation of closed tomb, with a dead body inside, was replaced by a picture of an open tomb with nobody around. How like me, looking at Jesus through my expectations and places where He is not to be found!

Later disciples joined her, in her confusion and bewilderment. But in this season of confusion, they forgot what Jesus had told them. That three days He will rise again. Death is not the end. There will be a day, he will rise again. An amnesia of truth. 

The disciples decided to return to their homes, discouraged and confused. “Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.” John 20:10. A decision to wallow in their confusions and lack of clarity of events emerging around them. How like me at times. 

But Mary “…stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb” John 20:11. It was that decision, not to return home but tarry at the tomb though confused, that led to the rest of the events. The conversations with angels and Jesus appearing  to her. And then going out with joy declaring the truth that Jesus is alive. 

The choice before me is either to continue to wallow with questions and confusion and keep listening to my own voice, or tarry amid confusions and recognize the resurrected Jesus, who is standing beside me to give me clarity, courage, and joy.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Waiting and Wasting

-
Image
As a young doctor, when I entered a rural mission hospital to work for a year or so, I was convinced that I was wasting my time. I was waiting to get into residency, and working there was not the optimal path to secure a residency of my choice. However, there was an inner compulsion pushing me to give it a try. On the other hand, I was certain that it would be a waste, and I expressed this to the senior doctor who had invited me to work for a year. He gently told me that a year of apparent waste might not be wasted if it helped me gain clarity about my life since I was not particularly clear at that time. I didn't believe him then, but I decided to go through with that one year of seemingly wasted time and life. In life, waiting is often viewed as a period of wasted years. However, a contemplative examination of stories from the Bible teaches us otherwise. Take Abraham, for example. He received a promise to become the father of many nations but spent his whole life wandering from p
Read more

Community our nation needs...

-
Image
It was early 70s. A batch of young boys grew up together over 6 years. A complex group of young boys who soon are together to be young men. People from various religion, life backgrounds, thought processes and desires and plan. Differences aside we grew together agreeing to disagree but agreeably. Moving away from each other in 1976, to pursue their dreams for life. The batch of 76.  47 years down the line, the batch still the remains the batch of 76. We have grown in girth and BMIs. More knowledgeable and probably wise too. Many have made it well in life. Some may not feel that about themselves but have contributed much to the society.  We remain the batch of 76, with many differences between us. Some frantically political, some apolitical, some deeply religious, others agnostic, some retired and enjoying retired like others still busy in their business of life. Some need spirits to keep the machines running, others prefer a spiritless life. Some with BP’s (Literally) others sweet in
Read more

Weary of doing good

-
Image
Can one become weary of doing good? Yes there are many times, personally I have felt weary and wanted to give up. I suppose this is not an uncommon feature for others too. Paul knew this and that is why he wrote to Galatians - “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9NIV Three common reasons why people (including me) feel weary of doing good, are considered here.  One, the drudgery of the mundane and routines. Though we want to feel passionate and engaged actively always, there will be times, when the routines of the day to day work and engagement seems to push us into weariness and wanting a rest from doing good for a period of time. Re-reading the book of Joshua it was interesting to observe that most of his life except for the initial years of war, would have been spend sorting out the allocation of land and settling the petty squabbles around those probably? How did he manage these mundane routines for
Read more