"But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb."Jhn:20:11
On that Easter morning Mary stood weeping at the empty tomb of Jesus. She had arrived to find her Lord gone and no longer where she knew that he had been laid to rest.
As Mary peered into the vacant burial place, she was unaware that her Lord Jesus was near at hand even in her grief and loss and fear and uncertainty.
The tomb was empty, the bed of death had been vacated and left empty only the grave cloths of Jesus remained there in the grave upon it's could stone slab.
Why Are You Weeping?
As Mary looks within she sees two angelic messages who sit at opposite end of the cold slab. The angels asked her a simple question.
"Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”Jhn:20:11-13
She answers in the negative, that her tears are the result of the loss of her Lord whom she believes has been now lost to her thru unyielding grip of death.
Even as Mary weeps at her apparent loss ,filled with the grief of death she turns only to face her living Lord whom she believes to the gardener. Jesus asked her again the simple question first posed by the two angels adding who it was she sought.
"At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who is it you are looking for?”(14-15)
Amidst her tears Mary replies to her yet unrecognized Lord.
"Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).(15-16)
At the mention of her name by Jesus, she now sees who it is that is addressing her.
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).(15-16)
Mary now realizes that it is her Lord before her , he is alive. Mary's tears, which were in grief and loss now are transformed into those of joy. Mary sees that it is her Lord who now stands before her.
Death Defeated
Mary now sees the actual manifestation of the very truth which Jesus spoke of himself as he approached the tomb of his friend Lazarus.
"I am the Resurrection" Jhn:11:25
Jesus' bodily resurrection only shows us what has and is eternally true,that he is the Resurrection.
Mary now is wittiness to the greatest victory in all eternity, Jesus' victory over even death. Jesus has not just escaped the grasp of death, Jesus has, by his own entry into death , defeated it and has plundered death of its prey emptying death of its quarry forevermore.
"But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him."Acts:2:24
The Tomb of Jesus is empty forever , and thru his entranced into the darkness of death and his coming again alive forevermore , Jesus has grasped hold of all who were held in its grip and brought them all forth into life.
Thru, and in, and with Jesus all humanity has died to death, so that none needs be confined with it's dark grasp. Thru Jesus in his shared humanity he has tasted death for all.
"But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."Heb:2:9
In tasting death for us all , Jesus has entered into his our death and we into his so that we might also be untied with Jesus in life, thru his resurrection. St. Paul articulates this in his Epistles to the Church at Corinth Greece.
"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died."2Crth:5:14
That means when we like Mary look into the empty tomb of our Lord we see that not only is Jesus' tomb empty but our own tomb is empty as well and not only our but all of our loved ones. This give us assurances that we will be reunited with all whom have proceed before us, beyond the confines of this life in the eternity to come.
Jesus has extended his victory over death to each and all of us death as the one great enemy is now vanquished by Jesus' own death and resurrection and this he so willingly and graciously shares with each and all who will be freely receive it.
St.Paul again speaks to us of this victory over death, which Jesus has wrought on our behalf leaving death empty of it's spoils, thru the resurrection of Jesus.
"I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”i
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."1Crth:15:50:57
No More Tears
When we look into the grave, we will see that it has been emptied of all who were held in it;s hopeless grip. We can peer in to the empty tomb with joy knowing that Jesus has set the prison of death free to live forevermore, We can look beyond the confines of this world into the glory of eternity of which St, John gives us glimpse.
'Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Rev:21:1-5
All because of our Lord Jesus we will never again hear the question "why are weeping?"
Benediction:May we each all rejoice in our Lord Jesus who has defeated death and the grace, today, tomorrow and forevermore.Amen
The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion , 2101 Old National Pike, Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301. www.gcfountainoflife.org
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