Peter then set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered the tomb; he, too, saw the
linen cloths lying flat. The napkin, which had been around his head, was not lying flat like the other linen cloths, but lay rolled up in its place.
Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed. Scripture clearly
said that Jesus must rise from the dead, but they had not yet understood that.
Lectio Divina:
READ: Early morning on a Sunday after the Sabbath, Mary of Magdalene hurried
to the tomb provided by Joseph of Arimathea for the body of Jesus hastily taken
from the Cross so that it won’t have to stay hanging there during the Sabbath. She
planned to clean it for burial. What she saw was an empty tomb and concluded the
worst that the body of Jesus was taken away. She informed the apostles Peter and
John who ran towards the tomb to verify. Although the beloved disciple came first,
she waited for Peter to enter the tomb. There they both find it empty except for the
wrappings used to cover the body of Jesus.
REFLECT: Mary of Magdala is portrayed prominently because of her courageous
love for her Master. She walks alone early morning to the tomb of Jesus to clean
His body for proper burial. Such concern amidst the vulnerable position they are
relegated right now as followers of Jesus made her strong to rise above her fears and
concern for personal safety. All she has in mind is for the body of the Lord to receive
proper care before burial. So why risk it all? What is the point when everything ended
with the death of Jesus? This is where we see how deep was the impact of the Lord
in the life of His believers. He touched them so deeply that not even death could
separate them from Him. This and the latter action of Mary in reporting that the
body of the Lord was taken attests that the early disciples did not grasp the teaching
of Jesus about the Messiah. They did not believe that He will resurrect again. So the
empty tomb instead of becoming the source of joy stoked their fears that the dead
body of their Lord has been abducted. A possibility if one does not believe that Jesus
will rise again. The empty tomb is the start of a marvelous conversation between
Jesus and His disciples.
RESPOND: How do we react when we find something as empty? Our life, our works,
our relationships and the likes. Do we run away in fear or explore what wonders might
be hidden in the empty tombs of our lives? We need not always fear emptiness in our
lives. Sometimes, they hold the promise of new life far better than our previous one.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2021
