Break open our mourning
Jo Penn
March 23, 2024
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Luke 24: 1-12 (NRSVA)
1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ 8 Then they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
As I read this passage I was reminded of these words from Psalm 126:
5 Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
A song of Easter morning:
A song rises in us,
Rises from the depths,
Breaks open our mourning
And turns it into joy.
Today’s sun rose,
we stepped, together, to bind the body,
prepare it with spices
and honour our friend.
The tomb had been closed,
Had been sealed and been guarded,
Could we enact final rituals,
Say closing prayers?
Arrived at the entrance, unguarded,
no stone at the door, no body inside.
We’re each perplexed
then soon terrified.
An explanation given by unexpected angels
Reminding us of his ‘third day’ rising promise:
After his betrayal,
After his death.
This tomb has become a womb,
Our friend walks in new Eden,
Jesus, new Adam, re-birthed
as Darkness fled from Light.
We went there with tears,
bowed by violence and death,
We returned with joy,
hope bursting from our eyes.
Sing a new song, sing it out loud,
Wave high the timbrel,
festooned with ribbons
Tightly wound.
Our Lord’s mother Mary,
Knew him before he was born,
Whispered to him, sang to him,
Encouraged and protected him,
treasured words from the prophet
About this child of hers.
Bearing the Lord of life within,
Cradling him tiny babe, newly born.
Cradling too his adult body broken,
Singing anguished songs to him, then.
Mary, his mother, will see him restored,
Hear clear his voice speak once more,
piercing her grief with joy at his laughter.
Assuring his death was not for naught,
He accomplished all that dark day.
She’ll live again with hope
at her new part to play
in the Kingdom now here.
A song rises in us,
Rises from the depths,
Breaks open our mourning
And turns it into joy.
Prayer:
Lord God,
Surprise us with joy today, write a new song of thankfulness in our hearts that bursts forth into the world today — a song of delight in your goodness to us. Amen.
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