Who Are You Looking For?

As I begin the 50 days of Easter, I have been pondering the scripture that was appointed for this past Easter Sunday:  Mark 16: 1-8.  What strikes me about this story is that Mary, Mary, and Salome were going to the tomb that morning, worrying all the way about how they would move the giant stone from the tomb so they could finish their burial rituals.  They were looking for a dead Jesus. 

I have been wondering why the women weren’t running to the tomb to see if a living Jesus was waiting for them there.  It’s as if they didn’t know how the events were supposed to play out but they had been told by the Man himself he would rise from the dead on the third day.  This was not a vague or metaphorical prediction. 

We often talk about the disciple, Thomas - poor doubting Thomas who gets all the blame for being The Skeptical One.  But, weren’t these three women doubters, too?  What about the rest of the disciples?  They were hiding in fear, not expecting to see Christ; so in their way, they were doubters, too.  I wonder if any one of these followers tried to encourage the others with a “hey, remember what he said about rising from the dead…” but got shot down by the others, swallowed up in grief.

I hope that I would have been searching for the living Jesus but if I’m honest, I have to admit that I have been a doubter myself sometimes, even with 2,000 years of belief following me on my journey.  Especially in times of grief, it can be hard to believe that God will keep his promises. 

One thing is certain.  The disciples’ personal experiences with the risen Christ were so real that they were able to bring thousands to salvation who had never heard of Jesus, let alone met him.  Is there comfort in knowing that even as Jesus’ closest followers both doubted and believed, they were still able to change the world?